The Path of Effortless Change by Michael Neill

For most people, meditation and mindfulness are control strategies. We try to control our thoughts, our attention, and our reactions…because we feel so out of control in our daily lives. And when things don’t go according to plan, we think the solution is to try harder: do something, be more mindful, or practice meditating more in order to be happier. But that’s only because we don’t see that the space of meditation is right here now—it’s part of our human design—and we can live in a state of peace and freedom without any effort. In this lesson, Michael will guide you to look in a new direction so that you have access to the ever-present, joyous space of meditation and knowing simply by giving up the illusion of control.

In this powerful lesson on the nature of thought, Michael shares his personal struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts—and reveals the insight he had that changed his life forever. So many of us have spent time suffering or deep in painful thinking, and we believe that if we could just change our thoughts, things would be better. But it’s not so much about changing specific thoughts as it is realizing that your entire reality is an illusion—and seeing that for yourself will set you free. In this lesson, you’ll discover the true nature of reality, what “thought” really is, and why you are never more than one insight away from changing your entire life and releasing stress, suffering, and pain.

If you’re like most people, you have likely read a few self-help books—or perhaps many. But the truth that’s not often talked about is that a lot of self-help literature is aimed only at fixing your personality self: helping you present a better you to the world or convince yourself that you’re more confident, happy, or spiritual than you feel. It’s not aimed at guiding you to find your true nature—what Michael describes as “who you are underneath the noise of who you try to be.” It’s what he calls “the Namaste place.” In this eye-opening lesson, you’ll discover that you are much more than your personality, and you’ll be guided to wake up to who and what you truly are: the infinite potential of the entire universe.

We all have what Michael calls a homing instinct, a capacity inside us that knows the feeling of our deeper self. In this lesson, Michael will help you start to not only wake up your homing instinct but also understand how to find that feeling of “home”—peace of mind, effortless bliss, and direct knowing—more often in your daily life. “We’re always already home,” he says. “But because we don’t know it, we’re dying of thirst in the middle of a lake.” When you recognize—even just once—the feeling of quiet awareness within you, you can start to untangle from your thinking mind and tap into the space of meditation…effortlessly.

The fear of negative emotions is so rampant in our culture (which conditions us to believe that we’re not ever supposed to feel bad) that the moment we begin to experience uncomfortable feelings, we look to change, fight, or escape them. But what if you could see your emotions as friends, not foes? Your feelings are, in fact, a brilliant feedback system that alerts you to your thinking and brings you greater self-awareness—and they lose their utility if you try to control them or make them “better.” In this lesson, you’ll learn about this incredible feedback system within you and how true well-being is created by allowing, not resisting, your emotions.

Most of us think that change takes a lot of time or a great deal of effort. We tend to work incredibly hard to break a pattern, defeat an addiction, or overcome a personal flaw. But the truth about change may surprise you: you are only ever one insight away from complete transformation. In this powerful lesson, Michael shares his provocative animation “The Dragon Story,” based on an impromptu call on his radio show, which illustrates the true nature of change, why people struggle and how they cope, and how we all have the natural capacity within us to effortlessly, spontaneously transform ourselves in any moment.

Where do you tend to spend most of your time: the past, the present, or the future? “It is remarkable,” Michael says, “how easy it is to not notice that the only place we have any leverage at all is right here, right now—and yet we spend so much of our time trying to get leverage anywhere but here.” In this lesson, he dives into why it is we get caught up in thoughts of the past or the future, and sheds new light on why the present moment is our greatest source of power: because in every moment, we’re given a fresh start—the past is forgiven, and the future is infinite potential.

You have within you at all times what Michael calls an internal navigation system, an inner knowing that guides you through life. To find it, all you have to do is let go, step into the unknown, and trust. This invitation is there for you in every moment. In this final lesson, Michael will bring together what you’ve learned throughout this course and speak to how to allow yourself to be guided by life. “There is a movement of wisdom inside you,” he says. “It is 100 percent reliable…and 98 percent unpredictable.” By trusting your innate wisdom and the kindness of life’s design, you will forever be tapped into the space of pure potential, peace, and joy.

The Inside-Out Revolution Audio Book

The Space Within: Finding Your Way Back Home eBook

Effortless Living Audio Bundle

• The Secret Ingredient for Effortless Success
• Waking Up
• What Are the Three Principles?
• How to Solve Any Problem
• Finding Flow
• The Opposite of Mindfulness
• Back to Basics
• The Many Games of Life

Can You Really Change the World in Two Hours Workshop Online Video

The in-course webinars allow you to gain insight about your situation and learn from others in the community. These webinars are only being offered within the course and are a rare chance to get an in-depth understanding on the exercises, tools and techniques in this course.