nurturing the light

I heard many beautiful messages at church this weekend.  Just as Mary nurtured the newborn infant Jesus, we are to nurture the light of Christ that was born in us this Christmas.  As we do it will grow, just as a baby grows as it is nurtured by his/her mother. 

We nurture this light with our intentions, our awareness as the Observer, and by letting go of the ego which blocks the light.  We nurture this light by accepting what is showing up in each moment and relaxing, allowing ourselves to be present with what is.  As we stop the analyzing and the controlling we make room for God's grace.  

Adyashanti says it like this:

"By relinquishing our need and desire to control, explain, and believe the way that our minds talk to us about what was and what is, we find a capacity to open to a new state of consciousness...At first it's just experienced as a state of stillness, the foretaste of awakened consciousness, where a presence begins to reveal itself.  If you allow yourself to relax into this stillness, this silence, you start to witness this presence arise...By giving your attention to it, by becoming aware of this inner presence and stillness, even in the midst of activity (i.e., by being the Observer and letting go) you make yourself more and more available to the dawning of this vast expanse where you can awaken out of the belief and experience of separation.  You realize yourself to be a deep well of awareness."  (Falling into Grace, p. 119).    

Christmas may be over but it is really just a beginning.  It is the beginning of an opportunity to grow the awareness that was born in each of us this holiday - the awareness of the light within. 

a gift to all of humanity

"Let go of indugling in the mind, realize it doesn't have the answers for you, and it doesn't have the answers for us collectively.  Together we can begin to stop the insanity within ourselves and amongst each other.  Realizing our deep essential nature and finding the peace and happpiness that lie there is not just something for ourselves; it's a gift to all of humanity." (Falling into Grace, p. 70).

Just like Michael Singer, Adyashanti talks about moving beyond the human mind, the separate self and connecting with our essential nature.  We truly are One, One with God and One with each other.  It is the belief that we are separate that leads to suffering.

We can connect with our essential nature through meditation, surrender, witnessing or accepting the moment exactly as it is and letting go. 

In the remaining 3 days before Christmas please join me in letting go of the neurotic roomate and trusting the Universe/God/Spirit to light our way to the freedom that is our inherent nature.  What better gift can we give ourselves and the world?

Happy Christmas

"We look to everything in life to make us happy, not realizing that happiness is actually at our very core.  It's natural to our being.  There's no way to become happy.  We simply need to stop doing the things that make us unhappy."  (Falling into Grace, p. 41)


Some of the things that we do that make us unhappy include making demands of ourselves or others or life.


"When we insist that the things, people, and events around us change so that we can be happy, we're actually denying something very deep within us.  We're denying the truth of who we are...and the truth of each other."  (Falling into Grace, p. 41).

Lately I have begun to accept on a deeper level that there is a very precious being inside of me that is expressing itself as me (and as you!).  I recognize that we sometimes want others to love, accept, approve of us so that we don't have to do that for ourselves.  If I only feel good about myself when I am feeling loved and accepted by the people in my life, than I am not loving myself.  If I only feel good about myself when I "do a good job" than I am not accepting the truth of who I am.  

The truth is that we are all One...uniquely expressing the love, joy, peace, creativity of God.

I recently attended a workshop with Adyashanti.  He spoke about Jesus and the Christmas story.  Adya said that both Jesus the human man (who got angry, upset...) and Christ (the embodied Son of God) live in each of us.  Christmas symbolizes the coming-forth of the indwelling Christ in us.  Staying present with what is True for you in each moment is a way to access the Christ within.  He described this spiritual path as aligning oneself with one's authentic experience in each moment with an open heart and mind in order to allow Spirit to guide you.

May your in-dwelling Christ come forth this Christmas season.

accepting life

Here are some thoughts of Michael's about stress (from one of his CDs): Stress only happens when we resist life's events.  We usually resist the experience of the event passing through us, such as the feelings of the event.  Better to accept (let life be life), release (preconceived notions, feelings, sensations, thoughts...) and choose unconditional happiness.

In chapter 2 of Falling into Grace, Adyanshanti says that our egos cause us to suffer when we try to control life, demand that life be different than it is, or argue with what is or what was.  He says that "'what is' is this moment -before you even think about it. That's what is.  Argue with this moment, and you will suffer...That goes for the past as well."  (Falling into Grace, p. 42)

He says that we are afraid to accept what is because then it will never change.  "But as soon as we say something shouldn't be happening, we've locked ourselves into an extremely narrow mindset with very few options.  When we really see that what is, simply is-neither good nor bad- than all options are available to us.  We can respond to life in a wise and loving way."  (Falling into Grace, p. 44)

I see this all of the time with myself and with the people that I work with.  When we accept the situation as it is, we respond from a place of clarity.

I will watch how I try to control, make demands upon and reject what is in my life.  "We have to somehow find the capacity to really want to know what's true, in this moment, without trying to control or make demands of it, because it's the truth that delivers us from suffering...that allows us to shift out of this egoic state..into a whole different state of consciousness, which is much more open, free, and inclusive." (Falling into Grace, p. 44-45).

Join me in accepting what is, letting go of the desire and efforts to control life, and allowing Truth to shine through and as You!

Stepping out of myself

Please join me in allowing these words of Truth to envelope your being on this day of Gratitude and Grace:

When we tell God what we want God to do, or we tell the universe what we want it to do, we're not really opening ourselves up yet - we're still speaking from an egoic place. But when we confess our deepest heart's yearning and tell the divine that we're inviting it to give us anything we need to awaken, we very well might get it. To open ourselves to this grace, to this flow of truth, means that we have to step out of ourselves. We have to let go of the illusion that we are in control of our life. When we hand it over, we'll find ourselves falling into grace, falling into this clarity and openness and love, falling right into the grace of awakening from separation, where we realize our true spiritual essence: this beautiful, unknown, unborn presence which manifests as everything we see.

Falling into Grace p. 226

Letting go of self

Who am I?  Who are you?  Both Michael and Adyashanti discuss letting go of any image of self, both the positive and negative self-images.  Michael uses the words Observer or Witness consciousness to discuss that neutral place where we let go of the lower self in order to allow a Higher sense of Self to emerge.  Adyashanti says it like this:

"If we're willing to look in a deep way underneath the appearances, what we expect to discover...is some great shining image...worthy of admiration and approval.  Yet when we start to peer underneath our image...what you find is no image, no idea of yourself.  Because this is so unexpected most people will begin to move away from it almost instinctively."  (Falling Into Grace, p. 22-23).

He says that if we really want to know who we are we will need to face the fear of not having an image to fall back on.  This reminds me of part IV of The Untethered Soul, going beyond the walls and the false sense of solidity. Moving out of that comfortable and safe house in the middle of the field of light in order to be free and to experience Truth. 

I have been dealing with issues of self-worth lately.  Old stuff that just hasn't gone away.  I have found  recognizing, accepting, and releasing feelings of not being enough to be a very healing process.  I am allowing what is lodged in my psyche to arise and pass through me.  Life shows me where I am blocked when I stay present and open to my authentic experience in each moment. 

What I am finding in this process of letting go is that the desire to do it right or make an impression is being replaced by a desire to be real in each moment.  Accepting what is happening, along with the feeelings about what is happening, somehow takes away the desire to change it.  My life is unfolding in perfect order and harmony and I do not need to control it.  All I really need to do is show up in the moment and open to what is happening.  God will do the rest.

Based on what Adyashanti said in the above quote, I suspect that what I am experiencing is just the tip of the iceberg.  Letting go of one painful feeling or one illusory thought at a time seems pretty do-able.  Letting go of my entire sense of self, to the point where I recognize that I am nothing and I am everything, is more frightening.

But since I do not want to live within the confines of the electric fence when there is a higher experience to be had, I choose to allow life to remove my blocks including the illusion that I am this self.  I will let go in each moment and let God show me who I really am. 

there is only this moment

Adyashanti knew a woman who was on her death bed.  She got up unexpectedly one morning and said that although she knew she was about to die, she wasn't ready yet because she didn't know "who she was."  He said to her

"Can you drop your entire past, all at once?  Can you let yourself see, all at once, that everything you ever imagined, is no longer present now?  Can you actually enter into this moment fully?"  (Falling into Grace, page. 172) 

They decided that since she was going to die she needed to do this in a hurry, there was no time for a process.   Adya says that "ultimately, waking up to reality and coming to the end of suffering isn't actually a process... It's about waking up...like from being asleep...then waking up in the morning...And so it is with spiritual awakening.  We're either asleep within the dream world of our minds, or we're awake within the true world of reality."  (Falling into Grace, p. 173)       

From what we have been studying from The Untethered Soul we have the skills or tools to let go, to leave the trap of the mind.  It is about being fully present and aware in the moment of what you are experiencing(thoughts, feelings, perceptions, bodily sensations) and moving your awareness to your neutral Self, the witness or observer, relaxing the body with a breath and choosing to let it go.  As we let go of the chatter of the psyche we will be more apt to hear the guidance of Spirit.

 So...can you let go of all of your past?   Can you let go of any sense of unworthiness (which is nothing but an illusion that has been programmed into your psyche based on past experiences)?  Can you let go of any concerns about the future?  The past and the future only take place in the imagination.  Only this moment is real.  Immerse yourself in this moment by letting the rest go and let Spirit fill you with peace, love, joy, creativity.  

waking up from the dream

We have been told by those who have reached profound states of spiritual awareness, that there is no (egoic) self, only the image that we have created in our mind.  "The older we get, the more dense the sense of a separate self gets...(It gets) more contracted...solidified...real.  The more real it feels, the more we feel that it needs to be protected, that it needs to get its way." (Falling into Grace, p. 30).  We think we need to control our environment and others to get our way.  Adya talks about how seeing ourselves this way creates a sense that life and others are threatening to us. 

He goes on to say that "To find liberation, we must wake up from this dream that our mind creates, that we're something separate than everything around us.  This is the only way we can begin to find a way out of suffering." (Falling into Grace, p. 33)

From what we have read in The Untethered Soul we know that we can let go of our attachment to this self through the path of unconditional happiness, the path of non-resistance, the middle way, contemplating death and the loving eyes of  God. 

"As you let go and willingly release the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of your being, Spirit becomes your state. (T.U.S., p. 175).  

In my church community this week there has been the tragic loss of a young man who was very much loved and appreciated.  It is heart-wrenching to see his family suffer, and, to grapple with the idea of how and why this could have happened.  I have been allowing the pain to surface and watching my thoughts about the situation.  I am choosing to accept my feelings and let them be, and to let go of any attachment to what this means or how it could have happened.  I believe that God turns every situation to good but that as I long as I remain attached to the self, I will block myself from the miracle.

In Reality we are all ONE, at one with each other and with life.  I believe that we are here to wake up.  Although we cannot control that process we can do our part by releasing the blocks and letting Spirit guide us.   Whether the issues that you are dealing with are big or small, know that God is in the picture...and that the absence of suffering is on the other side of the walls built by your psyche.     

I think therefore I am (not!)

Both Michael and Adyashanti talk about how our belief in our thoughts leads to suffering.  Remember Michael's reference to the neurotic roommate in TUS? If we listen to and believe that incessant chatter we will suffer.

Here is what Adyashanti has to say about our thoughts 

"when we believe our thoughts, in that instant we begin to live in the world of dreams, where the mind conceptualizes an entire world that doesn't actually exist anywhere but in the mind itself.  At that moment, we begin to experience a sense of isolation, where we no longer feel connected to each other in a very rich and human way, but we find ourselves receding more and more into the world of our minds, into the world of our own creation." (falling into Grace, p. 8)

Sad isn't it, to isolate ourselves in a world of our own creation instead of living in the real world?


On one of his CDs (The World, the Mind, the Heart, and You) Michael talks about the fact that thoughts in our head do not come from us.  The thoughts are a result of past experiences, genetic predispositions, the society in which we live...  Thoughts have a life of their own.  They come and go when they please.

I am the Observer of the thoughts.  I am the space in which thinking happens.

So what if I REALLY knew this and was able to let go of this attachment to the thoughts in my head?  Remember Michael's analogy of the brave dog who went through the shock of the electric fence so that he could live a life of freedom?  I'd imagine that letting go of our attachment to thoughts would be painful at first (i.e., we would experience the fear of the unknown since we are no longer relying on our thoughts to help us feel a false sense of safety and control in life).  And then we would begin to experience the freedom that exists on the other side of the ego!

Yesterday, I was having a conversation about Spiritual principles with a new friend and at one point we decided to move our awareness to the space between us, instead of keeping it focused on what each of us was saying individually.  This allowed me to detach from my thoughts and brought me into a fuller experience of the moment.  I noticed what I was feeling in my body and my emotions.  I was aware of discomfort.  Of course that never feels good, but if it is there I want to be able to accept it.  Distracting myself from the feeling of discomfort by staying stuck in my head is just a way to avoid what is happening in the moment, and that limits my life.

You are not your thoughts and neither am I.  We are much more than that.  And, we can begin to open to the Truth of who we are by letting go of the attachment to thoughts.  

a place before the mind

Here is a quote by Adyashanti which reminds me of Michael Singer's ideas:

Realizing our deep, essential nature and finding the peace and happiness that lie there is not just something for ourselves; it's a gift to all of humanity. Because when we begin to become expressions of what's possible for anybody and everybody, we are contributing to the goodness at the very core of who each and everyone is. When we can relate to ourselves from stillness, from a place before the mind, then we can begin to relate to each other from that same place.    falling Into Grace p. 70

I have had a taste of this kind of relating (i.e., from the place of stillness, embodied love, peace...) and it is  so completely different from how most of us relate to ourselves and each other on a daily basis (i.e., through the lens of the ego/psyche).  During this brief episode I felt a sense of lightness and well-being without any judgment whatsoever.  Can you imagine how lovely it would be to live that way 24/7?  (Pick up Adyashanti's book Falling Into Grace where he talks about this as a real possibility for each of us.)

So whether we are talking about Adyashanti's "place before the mind" or Michael Singer's seat of the Self, when we relate to others from this place of peace and happiness we will be calling out to that same deepness in them.

As both Adyashanti and Michael talk about we access this place by being present in each moment with what is happening within ourselves and in our lives.  Said another way, we need to be willing to accept our life with all of it's inconveniences, frustrations, anxieties and hurts...without distracting ourselves or otherwise avoiding them.  I've been doing this work for a while and still I see how easy it is to avoid the inner discomfort.  But to do that is a decision based on fear not love...and I do not want fear running my life any longer.  So, I set the intention to face it all...the insecurities, fears, disappointments, losses etc.

I have worked with many people who say "I am in touch with my feelings, I feel a lot of anxiety."  What happens for many of us, however, is that we may feel the anxiety/anger/fear...and then we quickly find away to avoid or distract ourselves from the inner discomfort or we try to fix the situation so the discomfort goes away.  We may grab something to eat or drink, turn on the TV, go shopping, try to fix the other person, go for a run, pour ourselves into our work, ruminate about the situation in the hopes of coming up with a solution, or just stay angry.  There is another amazing book (yes I like to read!) called Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life by Steven Hayes, which talks about  how many of these coping skills help us to avoid inner discomfort in the short-run but they never allow us to get rid of the discomfort in the long-run.  The alternative is to feel the feeling and then find ways to "defuse" (or not get sucked into the drama of it) such as moving your awareness to the Observer.  As Adyashanti said this deep, inner peace is our "essential nature" and it is a matter of letting go of that which blocks us from experiencing this truth.  

To summarize, we want to relate to ourselves and others from this deep place of peace, love and happiness.  And as we do so we give others the opportunity to make a shift in their own consciousness.  The way to reach this deep place is by moving beyond the blockages, the ego or self-image that we have created. We do this by staying present with each moment, noticing how the psyche has been hooked, and then letting it go by moving our awareness to the Observer.

I am really enjoying Adyashanti's book, falling into Grace, and I will be focusing more on this book as well as ideas from The Untethered Soul.

let the walls come tumbling down

I have been re-reading chapter 12 taking down the walls.  What really stands out for me is the discussion about defending ourselves.  When you stop and think about it we spend a lot of time defending ourselves such as when we try to convince others or ourselves that our opinions or ideas are right; or when we try to make a good impression/save face; or when we rationalize why our perceptions/behaviors/thought/feelings are valid ... 

This self that we defend is an identity that we have created in order to navigate more comfortably in the world, yet it ends up limiting us.  Remember the metaphor of the beautiful house built in the middle of a field?  The house is our psyche and although it can be comfortable it blocks us from the natural light (i.e., experiencing a life of freedom, love, joy). 

"...life collides with our walls (the thoughts, feelings, perceptions, expectations...that make up our identity) and tries to tear them down.  But time and again, we defend them...when you defend yourself you are really defending your walls.  There is nothing else to defend in there. There is just your awareness of being and the limited house you built to live in.  What you are defending is the house you built to protect yourself. You are hiding inside." (T.U.S., p. 116)

If there are only 2 things in there, the awareness of being and the walls that limit us, wouldn't it make sense to put your awareness on Itself and let the walls come tumbling down?  It is possible to do this, one moment at a time.  The next time you find yourself defending yourself, remember that you are the observer of your experience, not this self that you have created.  Ask yourself if you really want to defend this identity which limits you?  Let it go and allow a deeper expression of Life/Love/Joy to pour through and as you.

The Light of God's Love

Michael ends his book with a description of how God loves us unconditionally.

"You can't offend the Divine One; its very nature is light, love, compassion, protection, giving. You can't make it stop loving you.  Its just like the sun.  You can't make the sun stop shining on you; you can only choose not to look at it.  The moment you look, you'll see it's there."


This message is in contrast to what many of us have grown up hearing, that God is a judgmental and vengeful God.  It is also contrary to how we view ourselves, often harshly and critically. 

I feel a great sense of comfort recognizing that I have been created and am being sustained by a loving, compassionate, protective God.  This helps me to let go of the psyche and all of its related fears. 
In order to do so, we need to be willing to accept whatever is showing up in our lives, including the negative and uncomfortable feelings.  It has become so clear to me that there is no avoiding inner discomfort.  Life will unfold as life will unfold.  I can either fight it or watch the psyche ride the waves of life while I rest in the awareness of myself as the observer. And maybe then, we will experience what others who have walked this path have experienced:

"tremendous love, Spirit and light waking up inside of them.  They felt that there was nothing coming in through their sense that was higher than what was already going on inside." (T.U.S., p. 175)

Love surrounds us, unfolds us, protects us and guides us.  All we have to do is let go.

(We have reached the end of the book but I will continue to blog about this material.  I will focus on both the book and Michael's CDs.)

a higher awareness

“What does it mean to drift up?  You don’t feel as much anger, fear or self-consciousness… You don’t close or get tight as often.  Things still happen that you don’t want to happen, but they don’t seem to touch you as much.  They can’t reach back to where you are because you’ve drifted behind the part of you that reacts to things.  These are actual experiences, not merely something you were told about.  It’s just what naturally happens when you let go of the lower vibrations of your being.  You drift in and up to the deeper vibrations.” (T.U.S., p. 174)

As Michael talks about so often throughout his book, this path towards higher levels of consciousness is about letting go of the personal self and all of it's reactions, expectations...  We notice what the psyche is saying but we do not pay attention.  It is not a matter of changing what the psyche is saying (the psyche will always be rattling on about something, usually something that is wrong in your life), it is about noticing what the psyche is saying and then letting it go.  

The part of this process that I resist the most is allowing myself to experience the unwanted feelings.  My initial reaction is often to avoid or distract myself from the feelings or to try to fix the situation so that the feelings go away.  To truly be on this path we must be willing to face our feelings and the thoughts that accompany them. 

Michael suggests letting go of the personal self and putting your awareness on the highest state that you can imagine, knowing that you are much more than what the limited psyche is saying and allowing the magnificence that you are to unfold! 

     

the loving eyes of God

In the last chapter of The Untethered Soul Michael discusses the idea that God looks upon us with unconditionally loving eyes. 

Those who have gone beyond the personal self describe it as a "divine, unconditional, selfless love...the state you attain when you drift into Spirit." (T.U.S., p. 179).  Despite what many of us have been taught, there is no judging with God.  To describe God's unconditional love, Michael uses the analogy of the sun shining down on us.  Just as the sun does not shine more brightly on a saint than it does on a sinner, neither does God. 

It is through letting go of the lower vibrations, the personal self that one finds the way to this place of no judgment.  I've come to recognize that this path is not about spiritualizing the ego, it is about transcending it.  A friend reminded me yesterday that there is no self.  My psyche does not necessarily enjoy hearing this.  My psyche would prefer to transform the personal self into a higher or more spiritual expression of itself (e.g., witness my way right into my God self with an emphsis on MY)...but that is not what Michael has been talking about.  Instead this path toward God is about letting go of the self, letting go of any attachment to one's identity and recognizing that there is only God expressing itself in a myriad of ways.

How lovely it would be to join the great saints and masters who have embodied this truth, letting go of judgment and seeing through the loving eyes of God.

surrender

Recently I became anxious about a situation with some guys who were putting a new floor in my living room.  Instead of listening to the neurotic roommate for advice about how to proceed, I decided to witness and release (i.e., let go).  As soon as I did I became clear about how to proceed and I was no longer sucked in to the emotion of the situation.  This really is the way to do life.  Letting go over and over again, all day long…the big situations and the little ones too. 

The alternative is to listen to the mind and try to figure it all out that way.  Think back to Michael’s analogy about the roommate: imagine what it would be like if you took all of your thoughts and reactions and had a person follow you around all day long saying those thoughts to you out loud.  You would probably think that person was crazy or at the very least pretty unstable.  Well that is the same person that you go to for advice when you try to think your way through a situation.

Instead I will choose to surrender difficult situations to God and then wait for guidance.  Not only will I experience more clarity, but transformation will begin to happen.

“What happens to one who walks this path toward God …To understand this, imagine what would happen if you started feeling tremendous love for all creatures, for every plant, for every animal, and for all the beauties of nature.  Imagine if every child seemed like your own and every person you saw looked like a beautiful flower…”  (T.U.S., p. 176) 

This is a welcomed alternative to living a life of judgment and fear, always trying to make things go my way so that I can avoid the inner disturbance of the psyche.   I surrender the psyche with all of its limitations and I open myself to God’s will for my life.  And so it is.

 

knowing God

"But ultimately, how do you really know anything about God?...You know because those who have gone beyond have come back and said that the Spirit you're experiencing is the doorway to God...(As they let go of their personal identity) there was only the ultimate expansiveness of their sense of Self merging into the love and light."  (T.U.S., p. 175)  To read more look at the last paragraph on page 175. 

"Ultimately, the only way to know about God is by letting your being merge into The Being, and then seeing what happens to you." (T.U.S., p. 176)

This sounds very exciting. Joining with God...knowing God experientially...embodying qualities of God...all beautiful thoughts. 

Here's a description of letting go of the personal identity: "When consciousness stops identifying itself as the ray, it comes to know itself as the sun." (T.U.S., p. 176)  From this perspective, the decision to let go of the personal identity is a no-brainer.  On a daily basis it seems much more difficult.  Maybe it doesn't have to be that way.  Maybe I can let go without so much fear and resistance.  If there is only love and light waiting for me on the other side of this ego/psyche what am I waiting for???????

Please join me today in letting go, again and again and again...

letting go of the personal self

Michael (and many others) talk about letting go of the lower vibrations/energies in order to access the spiritual Self.  It's all about letting go of the personal self and then you will experience your true Self, that which is aligned with Spirit.

"The personal self cannot touch Spirit...As you let go and willingly release the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of your being, Spirit becomes your state...You naturally begin to experience the vibrations that were described by the great saints and sages of different traditions." (T.U.S., p. 175)

From this perspective it seems like there is nothing to do except witness and release...all day long, just letting go.  Sounds simple enough yet so hard to do. 

Life is so seductive, always luring us into the world of effects/ego. 

As stated in the quote above, being willing to release that which belongs to my psyche and my body is very important.  Even if I am struggling with letting something go, setting the intention to do so can make all of the difference. 

From now on I will wear a bracelet as a reminder to witness and let go.  Every time I notice the bracelet I will notice my inner experience and will choose to let go of the personal self. 

Join me if you will!   

chapter 19 the loving eyes of God

"Fortunately deep within us, there is a direct connection to the Divine...You can consciously choose to identify with that part, rather than with the psyche or body.  When you do this a natural transformation begins to take place within you." (T.U.S., p. 173).  

Michael goes on to say that when we let go of lower vibrations (i.e., the personal self) we begin to identify with the pure energy of Spirit which feels good, open, high...  Each time we witness and release we are taking a step closer to embodying the energy of Spirit.

This is hard work, letting go of the personal self, but for me it is the only way to do life.  The psyche and the body will never be content.  Trying to achieve peace by working with the world and improving my personal self is not the solution.  Michael says that our work should always be to work with the mind, not with the world.

As I identify more with Spirit and less with the personal self I will experience "love for no reason...openness, beauty and appreciation..."  (T.U.S., p. 174-175).

Imagine what it would be like to see the world through the loving eyes of God.  It is possible.  I do not have to spend the rest of my life looking through the eyes of judgment, anxiety, fear, and doubt.  All it takes is the courage to let go...let go of the opinions, the expectations, the personal identity. 

Others have done it. 

I can too and so can you.  

 

more on the middle way

Michael suggests that living in the middle is much simpler than living in the extremes.  On page 170 he gives an example of someone "who is in the Tao" who was cut off by another driver.  When it first happens this person would feel her energy begin to leave center...then she would let go and her energy would come back to center.  If instead she had a more extreme reaction, then her energy would go to the extremes.  Because her energy came back to the current moment (i.e., center) she was present for the next event that happened in her life.

"In the Tao, it's easy to see what's happening in life---it's unfolding right in front of you.  But if you have all kinds of reactions going on inside because you're involved in the extremes, life seems confusing.  That's because you're confused, not because life's confusing."  (T.U.S., p. 170).

Some of the ways that I tend to live in the extremes are: being more focused on the future instead of the present, being more comfortable giving rather than receiving love, listening rather than talking, and filling my day with too much activity.

My experience with living the middle way is that I become calmer and everything seems to slow down a little.  I see things more clearly.  I see this as a spiritual path that can help us to transcend the self, as well as a way to live a more balanced life.

the middle way

Chapter 18, the secret of the middle way, is based on the Tao.  It is about living in the middle instead of at the extremes.  For example, instead of eating all of the time or starving to death, it is good to eat some of the time.  If you live at one extreme for too long you will eventually swing back to the other (extreme) direction.  Just like a pendulum, if it swings 90 degrees in one direction it will then swing 90 degrees in the other direction. If you were starving when you finally had food you would stuff yourself. 

"The Tao is in the middle.  It's the place where there is no energy pulling in either direction.  The pendulum has been permitted to come to balance concerning food, relationships, sex, money, doing, not-doing, and everything else." (T.U.S., p. 166)

There is a lot to think about here.  I can see areas in my life where I am over-invested and other areas that need more attention.  Learning to have balance seems like such a practical matter that it is hard to see it as a spiritual practice...but who am I to argue with Lao-tzu's Tao!   

So my path this week is to notice where my life is off balance...where I am living in the extreme.  Right off the bat I recognize several areas such as worrying too much about my children.

If you read the last paragraph on page 167 and page 168 you will see that centering all of our energies on the middle way allows us to function much more efficiently.  Michael says that "when you spend your energy trying to maintain the extremes nothing goes forward."  He suggests that we can stop living in the extremes by simply letting them go, not participating in them.

Please join me this week in identifying an area where you live in the extremes and watch what happens when you let this go.

life is precious

There are so many important points on page 161, please check it out for yourself.  Michael is talking about how we are afraid of living life, and yet, if we live as if death were right around the corner we would let go of this fear and live more fully. 

He suggests that "it is your attempt to get special experiences from life that makes you miss the actual experience of life...Life exists without you...You simply get the honor of seeing a tiny slice of it.  If you're busy trying to get something, you will miss the slice you're actually experiencing." (T.U.S., p. 161). Yes I can relate to this...living for the future, longing for the next vacation, relationship, a larger income, more time...

Yet THIS moment is worthwhile.  Each moment is precious.  Any moment could be my last.

As I've mentioned in the last few postings this focus on death has motivated me to be more aware in the present moment.  I've had different experiences with this...sometimes I'm filled with gratitude and other times inner disturbance/anxieties/sanskaras (things that I like to avoid!) become apparent.  I try not to get sucked into these dramas and instead I remind myself that this recognition of inner disturbance is good...it is unfinished business that needs to be witnessed and released.  I ask "Who Am I?" (am I these feelings and thoughts of lack and limitation or am I the Observer?).  And finally I remember that death is stalking me...so why not get on with the business of letting go and take a step closer to my true Self.

How much of you is living your life?

"Death changes everything in a flash....If all these things (e.g., your possessions, loved ones, hopes and dreams for your life...) can be changed in an instant, then maybe they aren't so real after all.  Maybe you'd better check out who you are.  Maybe you should look deeper...you don't have to change your life; you just change how you live your life.  It's not what you're doing; it's how much of you is doing it."  (T.U.S., p. 160)

It's how much of you is doing it that matters. That's where the work is...am I the awareness or am I lost in thought totally unaware of what is right in front of me?

I've been using the breath as a way to ground myself in the moment as I go throughout my day.  I'm reading another book "You Are Here" by Thich Nhat Hanh which talks about focusing on the breath as a way to bring oneself back into the moment and as a way to unite the mind and body.  Thich Nhat Hanh recommends the phrase "Breathing in I know that I'm breathing in...breathing out I know that I'm breathing out." (This can be used during sitting meditation or as we go about the business of the day). Once my awareness is returned to the here and now I can witness and release. 

Another technique in this book which has been very helpful with releasing is the simple phrase "Breathing in I am aware of feeling sadness/anger/jealousy...breathing out I embrace the sadness/anger/jealousy."  Thich Nhat Hanh uses the analogy that our feelings are like a crying baby.  What would you do if you heard a baby cry?  You'd pick it up, embrace it.  Embracing the feelings brings a sense of calmness and this allows the feelings to pass through.  Try it for yourself and you will see! 

death and gratitude

Chapter 17, contemplating death was a chapter that I was reluctant to read at first, with death being one of my least favorite topics.  However, I have found a lot of wisdom in this chapter and I now use the technique of 'contemplating death' to motivate me to move forward in my spiritual evolution and to improve the quality of my life. 

Realizing that life could end any day, makes me want to live each moment more fully.

As I was getting my running clothes on the other morning, I stopped to notice the bright and cheerful colors of my running top.  Instead of mindlessly putting on my clothes and thinking about how I would like  more running clothes, I felt filled up with what I already had.  How nice it is to be filled with appreciation, instead of feeling a yearning for more or a feeling of lack.  This gratitude came from my heart.  It is not something that I had to work at getting. 

The feeling has stayed and carried over into many areas of my life.  Instead of worrying about future health issues, I feel gratitude for my eyes, my legs...all that I have RIGHT NOW!  The same goes for relationships, my house, etc...

Life really is short.  If we are lucky we will have 100 birthdays, 100 summers, l00 4th of Julys etc.  Whenever I am feeling stuck/unhappy/resentful, I think of death...and I begin to experience an appreciation of life.   

Acceptance and Surrender

In Chapter 16 Michael talks about using life's events as an opportunity to grow.  This involves surrendering to the reality of each moment and allowing the energy of that moment to pass through, thus touching and changing us at our deepest core.

"To comfortably handle this flow of life, your heart and mind must be open and expansive enough to encompass reality.  The only reason they're not is because you resist.  Learn to stop resisting reality and what used to look like stressful problems will begin to look like the stepping-stones of your spiritual journey."  (T.U.S., p. 155) 

Resistance happens when I am so busy "doing" my life that I am not even aware of what my heart is feeling.  Or when I am so wrapped up in the preconceived notions about how I want my life to be that I am not accepting the reality of my life.

I have had a couple of experiences (both following spiritual retreats) when I let all of this go and was completely present with an open heart.  On both of these occasions I experienced a different reality...a different way of being that was much more beautiful than my typical experience.  Although I can not put my experience into words, what occurred showed me that we are capable of having a very different experience in life than what we are settling for by living in the mind.  To achieve this state however, there is a price to pay, we must let go of the personal self.  I truly believe that the peace that we are all craving can not be found in the personal self (no matter how we try to perfect it)...but by letting go and surrendering to God.

So I will continue to focus on accepting the reality of my life, relaxing and releasing, and keeping my awareness on myself as the Observer.

my daily prayer

Here is a prayer that I say each day, based on the teachings from the Untethered Soul.

As I sit in the seat of the Self gently observing my life I let go of all judgments, allowing God to show up as me in all of my relationships.

Trusting in the Beingness that I am, I relax into this day knowing that I can handle everything that I encounter.

I am present in each moment, allowing the energy of each moment to pass through me.

With a relaxing breath, I open my heart to give and receive love.

I surrender this day to God's will knowing that every thing is in perfect order and harmony and knowing that all good comes from God.

Thank you God for the gift of this day. 

a different world

According to Michael if you want to get closer to others, or to enjoy your work more, or recognize talents that you never knew you had...allow the energy that is blocked within you to pass through.

Here is what he has to say about relationships:

"Imagine if you used relationships to get to know other people, rather than to satisfy what is blocked inside of you.... If you're not so busy judging and resiting people based upon what is blocked inside of you, you will find that they are much easier to get along with - and so are you.  Letting go of yourself is the simplest way to get closer with others."  (T.U.S., p. 154)

Once we allow the blocked energy to pass through,  we are free to focus on what is right in front of us and "the world becomes a different place." (T.U.S., p. 154)

All that you have to do to achieve this is to relax and release.  Whenever you are resisting, take a deep breath, relax your heart and let the energy go.  I find it helpful to move my awareness to the neutral observer ...from there whatever I am feeling or experiencing seems less intense and I am able to let it go.

Today practise relaxing and releasing and dealing with what is right in front of you.

Unlimited Possibilities

As I continue to work with these ideas, I am blown away by how many opportunities there are to resist (or even better, to NOT resist) feelings and thoughts that arise throughout each day.  Although these feelings/reactions seem to result from current events, as I look more closely it seems that most of them stem from samskaras or unresolved past issues.  It's just life hitting my stuff...and I sure would like to get rid of this stuff!

Since these reactions (e.g., judgments based on my past experiences) and feelings occur frequently, it seems that the most efficient way to witness and release would be to stay seated in the Self constantly and just keep noticing and releasing.  This requires a lot of focus and discipline.  It is hard to remember to do this all of the time and I find that I am constantly starting over by returning my awareness back to itself.  A process that is well worth the effort.

Michael describes some incentive for doing this work: 

"Up to now, your capacities have been constrained by constant inner struggle.  Imagine what would happen if your awareness was free to focus only on the events actually taking place...you could do anything.  Your capabilities would be exponential compared to what you've ever experienced." (T.U.S., p. 154)

Stay with the process and allow all that You are to blossom!!

Fear and Desire

"...Don't think that because you accept reality it means you don't deal with things.  You do deal with them.   You just deal with them as events that are taking place on the planet Earth, and not as personal problems." (T.U.S., p. 153) 

Lately whenever I feel edgy, upset, anxious, irritable or yearning for some comfort food, I've been asking myself what am I resisting?  Once I've accepted whatever the negative thought or feeling is and let it go, I usually handle the situation with more clarity and ease.

Michael goes on to say that "in most situations there is nothing to deal with except your own fears and desires." but take these out of a situation and "you simply allow life to unfold and interact with it in a natural and rational manner." (T.U.S., p. 153) 

If we can let go of fear and desire and deal with the rest our lives would be a lot more harmonious.  Fear is just a feeling.  Have you ever heard the expression that fear is an acronym for "false evidence appearing real?"  Desire is also just a feeling.  We desire something because we think it will bring us happiness or peace, but if we accept that peace and happiness are our true nature we wouldn't desire anything else.     

So the path is to not resist the fear and desire, but to watch and release them.  Then deal with what is in front of you.

will power and acceptance

Michael talks about how the Self uses it's will power to resist the events in life.  "We actually assert our will in opposition to the flow of life." (T.U.S., p. 150)  What we are really resisting is the way events affect us.  We keep the energy of the event from passing through us and this causes tension.  We resist events from the past and those of the future. 

When you resist something "It blocks your heart's energy flow and causes you to feel closed and less vibrant.  This is literally what is happening when something is weighing on your mind or when things just get too heavy for you." (T.U.S., p. 151)

Michael says that we are holding on to past energies and therefore we are not able to deal with the energies of present events.  Hence we become stressed out.  Sound familiar?

The solution is to stop resisting.

As discussed in "A Course in Miracles" we judge events passed on past experiences and then decide to resist or cling to them. If we do not want to resist or cling but instead allow the energy of events to pass through us then we need to let go of "preconceived notions of how things should be" (T.U.S., p. 152) and accept what is happening.

"Begin dealing with each situation with acceptance" (T.U.S., p. 153) so that the energy can make it through...then you can deal with the situation that happened.

Join me today in letting go of preconceived notions and accepting life the way that it is showing up.  Deal with it as you will  (affirmations, prayer treatment...) but first accept what is happening.

let go and let God

Michael talks about the idea that we do not resist the events in our lives as much as we resist the feelings about life's events passing through us. 

One of the ways that I resist my present experience is by excessively focusing on the future, either by planning for the future or worrying about some future possibility. This is like going to a party but spending the whole time off in a corner playing with the calender on my phone (e.g., figuring out what vacation I'm going to be taking, what hours I'm working next week...) instead of talking with the people at the party, enjoying the food, listening to the music etc.  I might as well not have gone.

Although there are times when it is useful to plan for the future, spending an inordinate amount of time doing this causes me to miss out on life...just like being at the party but not experiencing the party.

The same could be said for people who spend a good deal of their time focused on the past...dwelling on what happened or what didn't happen, regretting it, feeling bitter about the past...  This too keeps one out of the present moment...thus resisting what is really happening.

The worrying that I sometimes do is another way to avoid dealing with the here and now.  One thing that we know for sure is that life is uncertain.  We can do our best in all areas of life and yet there are never any guarantees that life is going to turn out the way that our psyche's think it should.  Worrying about the future is a way that I try to make myself comfortable with or at least prepared for what might happen.  Yet what it really does is keep me from enjoying or experiencing what is happening right now.  (And even if your life isn't feeling very positive right now, being present with the situation can help you to get through to the other side.) 

I climbed Saddleback Mountain on Memorial Day...and this time the weather was perfect (sunny, clear, yet not too hot) and it was a beautiful hike!  When I think about that day I have this image of God (who I actually think of as a loving energy not as a person, but nonetheless in this image God had human features) gently kissing me on the cheek saying "See I am taking care of you...Not to worry!"

I CAN let go of living in the future, the worry, the resistance of the present moment and allow that which created me to guide me through this experience of life.

the spiritual path of non-resistance (Chapter 16)

The path of non-resistance is the second technique that Michael talks about.  Check out several lines from the first paragraph of chapter 16:

"One should view their spiritual work as learning to live life without stress, problems, fear, or melodrama...Stress only happens when you resist life's events.  If you're neither pushing life away, nor pulling it towards you, then you are not creating any resistance.  You are simply present...witnessing...in a state of peace." (T.U.S., p. 149)

From this viewpoint the pressure that we all feel to keep up with it all, hold it all together, move forward...is completely unnecessary.  There is no need for pressure.  Everything will unfold as it should.  (If you are experiencing any resistance to this idea of letting go, read on to page 150.)

I tried this tonight as one of my kids was being difficult.  When I noticed that I was getting caught up in the drama and losing my center I decided to walk away and accept the situation as it was happening.  I witnessed and released my stress and frustration and after a few moments we had a conversation that went a lot smoother.

I will do some experimenting with these ideas this week. Every time that I become aware of myself feeling stressed, fearful, or experiencing a problem I will ask myself in what way am I resisting or trying to pull something towards me.  I will keep you posted.

happiness and beyond

I am finding lots of benefits to following the path of unconditional happiness.  When I choose unconditional happiness it lightens my mood and I can deal with what is right in front of me with more energy and clarity.  Although choosing happiness doesn't take all of the pain or anxiety away, it allows me to get out of feeling bogged down by a problem.  Without all of that negative energy I can usually see more clearly and I have the energy to act in a positive way.  It really is a beautiful path to be on.

Although this may not work for everyone, what helps me to shift into a state of happiness is the realization that God is unfolding my life in perfect order and harmony.  I say to myself "I accept only God's will for my life" and that helps me to happily accept what is in front of me.  Michael suggest that one can be happy just to be alive or just to be breathing.

"If you remain spontaneously happy and centered no matter what happens, you will find God...Yes, you will find happiness, but that's nothing compared to what you're really going to find."  (T.U.S., p. 147).

mountain hike part 2 - the deeper issue

There was another part of the mountain hike story that I have been struggling with letting go of all week:  I did not bring enough warm/waterproof clothes for Ryan and I during the hike last weekend. (Apparently I was absent the day they addressed mountain hiking clothes in school because we were way under dressed).   By the time we headed down the mountain, we were both wet and frozen.  Fortunately 2 strangers gave us their rain ponchos and a friend in our group gave Ryan her warm and dry jacket.  I have felt terribly irresponsible about the whole thing and the incident has left me feeling concerned about future situations where I might show some kind of poor judgment (I've learned my lesson about mountains but who knows where else I might fall short and maybe with more detrimental results).

Although I tried to witness and release the feelings this week, it was not happening.  Then I decided to apply the technique of unconditional happiness to this situation.  After choosing to feel gratitude and happiness for the situation, I had some insight and I was able to let it go.  I recognize that the Universe provides even when I personally fall short.  Although I wished that I had planned better, the fact that our needs were met by 3 other kind souls helps me to see that it isn't all up to me...God provides.  So I can accept what happened without feeling anxious about not being prepared for something else in the future. 

There are 5 techniques that are described in the final section of the book, with the path of unconditional happiness being one of them.  Michael suggests that we may need to use different techniques depending on the situation.  Witnessing and releasing was not working for me in this situation but looking at it through a brighter lense helped me to let it go. 

"Unconditional happiness is a very high path and a very high technique because it solves everything...(It) solves daily life and it solves spiritual life.  The greatest gift one can give to God is to be pleased with His creation."  (T.U.S., p. 146-147).     

May we all choose to feel unconditional happiness and gratitude for the life that we have been given and for the opportunity to grow in whatever ways that we need to grow.

the key to staying happy

In chapter 15 of The Untethered Soul, Michael talks about the key to staying happy is to keep the heart open.  No matter what happens in your life, do not close your heart.

"When you start to close, just question if you're really willing to give up your happiness.  You should examine what it is inside of you that believes there's some benefit to closing."  (T.U.S., p. 144).    

It is tempting to close when things don't go our way.  But we need to realize that we are choosing to close.

I had a situation come up last weekend that has given me an opportunity to practice this teaching.   My son Ryan and I along with some friends set out to climb Saddleback mountain. We'd been planning this for months, and were excited to be doing the hike.  The weather started off wet and cold and we hoped that it would clear as the day moved on but about 4 miles into the hike I realized it was just getting worse and we needed to turn around and head back.  Ryan and I were very disappointed.  We will do it again, but I don't know when because it is a matter of waiting for the right weather conditions.

This minor example shows that life really isn't under our control.  If we expect outer circumstances to dictate our happiness we are setting ourselves up for failure.  Life is going to happen the way that life is going to happen.  When things do not go as planned, there is no benefit to closing one's heart and blocking the energy from flowing.

Check out the first paragraph on page 144. 

"Staying open is what the great saints and masters taught.  They taught that God is joy, God is ecstasy, and God is love.  If you remain open enough, waves of uplifting energy will fill your heart...If you learn to stay open at all times, great things will happen to you.  You simply have to learn not to close." (T.U.S., p. 145). 

transcending the personal

"This path (of unconditional happiness) leads you to absolute transcendance because any part of your being that would add a condition to your commitment to happiness has got to go...you have to let go of the part of you that wants to create melodrama...the part that thinks there's a reason not to be happy...you have to transcend the personal, and as you do, you will naturally awaken to the higher aspects of your being."  (T.U.S., p. 143)

Transcend the personal...so I guess its not all about me after all.  If I want to stay happy then I can't let it be all about me.

Sometimes when I move to the Observer, it feels like such a relief to let go of the melodrama of my life.  The Observer is a place to rest.  It sometimes feels like I am taking a welcome vacation from the psyche or ego.

How lovely it would be to just sit back and watch life unfold and enjoy the experience.  Since life is going to happen the way it is going to happen I might as well enjoy the ride.  Is there really any other choice?  I could continue to try to arrange everything and everyone in my life in order to make it work, or, I can let go and choose to be happy...

Please join me today in choosing to be happy no matter what. And when life hits your stuff and the happiness seems to disappear, remember that you are just cleaning out the closets of your psyche...be grateful that life is showing you what has to go.  With a deep breath relax into the Observer and be happy!

your life's purpose

"The purpose of your life is to enjoy and learn from your experiences.  You were not put on Earth to suffer...you were born and you are going to die.  During the time in between, you get to choose whether or not you want to enjoy the experience." (T.U.S., p. 143).

There is such wisdom in this quote.  I love the realization that the purpose for my life is to enjoy it and learn from it.

I've been practicing the path of unconditional happiness all week and as expected I've had a big challenge arise (I'm sure it would have happened anyway, even if I wasn't practicing this path).  It was tempting to stay in my head and try to figure out the problem and fix it.  However since I was choosing happiness, I decided to witness and release my concerns.  And as I did, I found guidance.  In retrospect I see that this challenge is life's way of showing me something that I need to learn.    

Michael says that "The choice to enjoy life will lead you through your spiritual journey...(it) will teach you everything there is to learn about yourself, about others, about the nature of life." (T.U.S., p. 144). 

If you are serious about choosing to be happy for the rest of your life, when something comes up to disrupt your happiness be grateful for it, let it go, and affirm your happiness.

unconditional happiness

Many of us have practiced using positive affirmations to promote a sense of peace and well-being.  Choosing to affirm unconditional happiness is the most effective affirmation to achieve peace and joy.  If you affirm perfect health (not that this is a bad idea but it does place a condition on our happiness) than what happens when you get a cold or stub your toe?  Does that mean that you can't be happy? 

Even if we get what we want to make us happy, the external condition will either change or it will lose its ability to make us happy.  The nature of life is change.  Nothing is permanent.   So even if you find the perfect relationship, that will end someday (e.g., your loved one will die someday or you will die first).  Also, as most of us know being in the perfect relationship does not ensure happiness (there are still taxes to pay and cars to fix and family members to deal with...). 

On one of his CD's Michael talks about how many people have perfect health and they still are not happy...many people are in a relationship and they are not happy...many people are rich and they are not happy...

Happiness is a state of being that we were born with.  It is a choice to assume this state. 

I find myself being easily caught up in the belief that the world of effects is my source of happiness.  If I am not being aware, then it happens automatically.  Staying focused on relaxing my body, allowing the present moment to be exactly as it is, and relaxing into a state of happiness is my way out!     

the highest spiritual path

We are beginning the final section of the book - 5 chapters, each addressing a different 'technique' for moving along this spiritual path.

Chapter 15 talks about the "path of unconditional happiness."  Michael says that we can choose to be happy...that it is completely under our control to be happy. 

He points out that our preferences and qualifications ('I will be happy when I get the right job, relationship, health...') get in the way of our happiness. 

"But if you want to walk the highest spiritual path then when you answer yes to that simple question (Do you want to be happy?), you must really mean it.  There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it." (T.U.S., p. 142.)  

Every time I start my day with the intention to be happy no matter what, something always happens that challenges my state of happiness.  That which comes up is unfinished business that needs addressing.  It is a part of my walls that keep me from knowing the highest truth about myself and from living freely. 

The path of unconditional happiness involves choosing to be happy no matter what and allowing what is coming up to pass before you.  It is very similar to moving your awareness to the witness when life hits your stuff.  In this technique you would move your awareness to the 'choice to be happy,' relax with a deep breath, and allow that which needs to be purged from your psyche to pass through you.

Stuff is going to happen in life whether we choose to be happy or not.  So, why not choose to be happy anyway.

letting go even more

"You can experience a life in which waves of love can rush up inside of you any time you want.  It is the nature of your being.  You simply have to go to the other side of the psyche."  (T.U.S., p. 136)

I have to stop and ask myself how badly do I want this?  Do I want this more than I want to be right? or more than I want to feel secure? or more than I want to cling to ideas about myself and the world?

There have been times when I have thought that giving up this psyche/identity would be impossible...too much to lose.  Yet when I think of it as Michael described it in the above quote...I say "YES!"  Of course I want to experience waves of love as I go through my life and to experience the highest nature of my being.

Michael says that you get there by "letting go of the tendency to cling...by not using your mind to build false solidity.  You just decide once and for all to to take the journey by constantly letting go." (T.U.S., p. 136)

This is like taking a step off of a steep cliff... you do it because you know that God is going to catch you.

resist the urge to fix

This week I have noticed and resisted the urge to fix situations that stirred up inner discomfort.  In a couple of instances I chose to accept what was happening in the moment and then witnessed and released my feelings about the situation.  One of the situations resolved itself without any effort on my part.  In the other situation I ended up finding the guidance that I needed, again without effort.  I guess this is what Michael is referring to in the analogy about us being on a planet...spinning in the middle of nowhere...worrying about the most insignificant things. 

Imagine, all of the planets, stars, galaxies...working in perfect order and harmony without any direction from me!!!  Could this be true in my life as well?  If I let go more often and resisted the urge to fix would my life flow as smoothly as the planets revolve around the sun?

It does not make sense to worry, control, figure it all out when everything unfolds according to some bigger plan anyway, does it????? 

find your Self

In chapter 14 Michael talks about letting go of the model of who we are and how life should be.  We built this model to protect ourselves from inner disturbance, thererfore, as we let it go we will have to face the inner disturbance.  There is no way to perfect this model or this self in order to avoid pain and discomfort. The only way to freedom is to watch what the head and the heart are going through...to move ones awareness from the self to the Self. 

"The Self simply notices that the mind and emotions are unraveling, and that nothing is struggling to hold them together" (T.U.S., p. 135).

Moving one's awareness from the self to the Self is so challenging because we have to engage in life.  And as we do, the self is always being asked to perform.  The trick is to learn to allow the self to be, while keeping the neutral Self in the forefront of one's awareness.  Multi-tasking at its best!

A difficult yet worthy practice.

One of the most helpful tips for me is the following:

"When your mind is disturbed , don't ask, 'What do I do about this?' Instead ask, 'Who am I that notices this?' " (T.U.S., p. 135)

Happy Easter

In honor of Easter I wanted to pass on a message that I read in a different book, The Naked Now by Richard Rohr.  Richard Rohr says

"If you want to find God, then honor God within you, and you will always see God beyond you.  For it is only God in you who knows where and how to look for God."  (The Naked Now, p. 161).

When we move our awareness to the neutral Observer/Witness we are clearing the space for the God within to show up.  Of course God is everywhere present all of the time, but as we witness we open our awareness to recognizing God's presence within.

On this Easter day, witness the human drama/experience and as you let it go honor the God within.

Sweet Blessings to you!    

experience the moment

Today I am experiencing a head cold.  I am keeping my heart and chest relaxed and open...Michael (and others) say that this can help the body to heal.  I am observing what it is like to be a human being experiencing a cold.

Back to chapter 14.  Please check out the first paragraph on page 135.  Here is a little bit of it:

 "Why should anything that anyone says or does cause you to get disturbed? You're just on a planet spinning around the middle of absolutely nowhere.  You came here to visit for a handful of years and then you're going to leave.  How can you live all stressed-out over everything?..." (T.U.S., p. 135)

Michael goes on to say that the only reason things bother us is because they hit our "model" - the identity that we have given ourselves and others.

How nice it would be to be able to let the model go and greet each moment as it is showing up (instead of how I think it should be showing up).  Whether the moment includes a head cold, rainy weather, a new car, or a reunion with a loved one...touch it and then let it go.  Although it seems like clinging, worrying and ruminating about our lives causes us to 'get it right,' it is actually when we experience and then let go of situations that they are able to deeply change us.

Happy spinning!

staying centered

I am beginning to realize that there really is nothing to lose when it comes to getting rid of my identity.  My personal identity, although it feels so real, is actually no-thing...it is an illusion that my psyche created...a figment of my imagination...and most noteworthy, it is a blockage to my freedom.

I may feel like I can't live without it, and yet it is keeping me from living to my fullest.

When I shift my focus away from the 'world without' to the 'place of centeredness within' I feel more anchored. 

Today I will practice letting everything else fall away (the positive and the negative) and staying present with that which is the source of LIFE and LOVE.  

Letting Go

In chapter 14 Michael talks about how it is a struggle to keep up this identity...to make every thing go the way we think it should every minute of every day.

He says "What it means to live spiritually is to not participate in this struggle.  It means that events that happen in the moment belong to the moment.  They do not belong to you." (T.U.S., p. 134) 

You are the witness to the moment.  Let the moments pass through you.  Do not cling to them.  Let go of the urge to fix the situation.  Michael says there are 2 things that we need to do to let go.  The first is to relax, especially the heart.  And second, we need to fall back.  Instead of diving in and getting involved with the situation, fall back and let go. 

Today, see how long you can keep your awareness on the Observer/Witness and let the moments of the day pass through you.

the peace that passeth all understanding

In Chapter 14, letting go of false solidity Michael talks about how we use the psyche to build a concept of ourselves, a self-concept which provides a sense of security.  We cling to ideas and thoughts about ourselves in order to “build an inner structure for consciousness to focus on.” (T.U.S., p. 128)   We feel safer that way.  It is easier to navigate through life when we know what to expect from ourselves and others.  Other people reward us for building a stable identity.

But this false identity that we have built ends up limiting us (remember the examples of the dog penned in by the electric fence, or, the person who builds the comfortable house in the middle of the beautiful field?)

We build and cling to our personal identity because it would be very scary if we did not. 

“If you let go of your façade, and don’t try to trade it in for a new one, your thoughts and emotions will become unanchored and begin passing thorough you. ..You will feel panic deep inside, and you will be unable to get your bearings…However, you’ll find that if you’re willing to face that sense of panic, there is a way to go past it.  You can go further back into the consciousness that is experiencing it, and the panic will stop.  Then there will be a great peace, like nothing you’ve ever felt.”  (T.U.S., p. 132)

I can fully relate to how scary it would be to let go of the facade.  This week I experienced a taste of this discomfort when I posted something of facebook that was "out of character" for me...meaning that it was not in sync with the typical "Donna" façade that I like to put out there.   I was concerned about how the person whose wall I posted on viewed me.   I wondered how many other people read it.  It felt very uncomfortable. 

This experience made me realize how dependent I am upon keeping up this façade.  I am totally and completely addicted to it.  Honestly, it is hard to imagine that I could ever live without the comfort of my identity.   

Yet, I yearn to have a closer, more intimate relationship with God; to embody my true Self; to experience my oneness with Spirit; to be an expression of pure Love.  I know that I must transcend this personal identity in order to do so. I am willing to let go of whatever is not necessary in order to find the great peace within. 

"transmutation of energy" Part 2

Energies (inner disturbance, discomforts) come up all day long that I try to fix, some are stronger than  others.  Michael suggests that we "Work with the tendency to get sucked in.  Don't work with stopping the energy so there is not a tendency to get sucked in.  Don't work with trying to stop the world so it doesn't create the energy which causes the tendency to..." (CD by Michael Singer:  "The Clarity of the Witness Consciousness.  Part 2 - Beyong the Pull of the Energies  Track 9).  Instead, watch yourself being drawn into the changing energies.  Don't touch them.  Use your will power and determination to not get drawn in.  Relaxing your body, especially the heart, will help.

So what happens to the energy when we manage to stay seated in the Self and not touch it?  Michael says "This energy that came up to try to fix your problems will change direction all by itself...It will come up to you...its called transmutation of the energy."  (CD by Michael Singer:  "The Clarity of the Witness Consciousness.  Part 2.  Beyond the Pull of the Energies Track 9).  This energy will lift your consciousness up...to heights that you have never experienced before. 

Today, be the witness and allow your consciousness to be raised higher and higher.

"transmutation of energy" Part 1

All week long I have watched my energies go up and down.  Last weekend my daughter was placed on the waiting list for OC High School of the Arts.  This has been a dream of hers for years...last year she was not accepted...acceptance into the school is extremely competitive...the program would be PERFECT for her...blah, blah, blah.  From the human perspective there are lots of reasons to be excited and hopeful, and, a lot to be disappointed about should she not get in this year.  As great as it would be, however, I know that my joy is not dependent upon my daughter getting in to OCHSA.  I also see how easy it is to get lost in the energy of this situation. 

This morning I was listening to one of Michael's CDs "The Clarity of Witness Consciousness" Part 2 - Beyond the Pull of Inner Energies, Tracks 8 and 9.  (All of the quotes below are from this CD).  He talks about "watching the dance between the energy that comes in through the senses and the urge to fix it."  When the energy comes in (i.e., inner disturbance) we either try to fix it or push it away (e.g., me happily anticipating an acceptance letter coming in the mail, or, worrying that this might not happen).

Michael suggests that instead of getting drawn into the energies, we watch and relax.  Do not touch the energies.  Just "watch a human be human." 

The challenge is to remain inside despite the strong pull of the energy.  "There is no working with this humanness...work with the tendency to get sucked in...Leave the energy alone." 

So I will notice when I have become drawn into the feelings (either positive or negative).  I will not push them away, nor try to change them.  I will take a deep breath and relax my muscles, especially the heart.  I will work with the Self (i.e., noticing where I am putting my awareness), not the situation. 

As we do this our energy changes.  I will talk more about this in part 2 of 'transmutation of energy.'        

leaving the comfort zone

Michael talks about how we feel we have to stay on top of everything in order to feel comfortable.  We impose limits on ourselves otherwise we feel afraid, anxious, hurt (e.g., ‘I need this person to like me so I can feel good about myself or so that I can stop feeling lonely.’  ‘I need more money so I can live more comfortably.’) Staying within our comfort zone means we are limiting ourselves.  I love the example of the brave dog who decides to withstand the discomfort of breaking through the force field of the electric fence in order to obtain freedom. 

"When you hit these edges you either pull back or try to force things to change so that you can remain comfortable." (T.U.S., p. 124)

Yes this is so true for me.  I either pull back (and sometimes I even convince myself that what ever I am pulling back from is not bothering me!) or I try to make the situation better. 

Michael suggests that we just walk on through without avoiding or fixing.  Just watch the pain, irritation, jealousy, insecurity etc. and let it go.  These feels are just like the zap of the electric fence in the brave dog example.  The feelings themselves will not harm you…they just hurt for the moment and then they pass. 

Imagine being caged in a yard and never knowing that there is a big, beautiful world out there for you to explore.  Be willing to pass through the force field and allow yourself to experience all of life.

beyond your model

Take a look at the first couple of pages of Chapter 13: far, far beyond.   Michael talks about how we break the world down into little thought patterns so that we can have some semblance of control….to make the unknown known.   We love it when people are predictable, when we are “right,”   when things go as expected…

We don’t even realize that we are doing it, yet, it is part of the job that we have given our minds – to make everything okay all of the time so we can feel good on the inside.  But then we have to make everything in this huge, complicated, unpredictable world fit into our little model of how we think things should be.  This just doesn’t work so we experience stress, depression, fatigue…

“If you want to go beyond your model you have to take the risk of not believing in it.”  (T.U.S.,  p.  120)

If I didn’t have a model through which I filter every experience, I would experience each moment as it is showing up, not as I would like it to be.  It would be much easier to be present in the now and my experience in the moment would be richer, more fulfilling.  There would be less judgment.  

Why trust my model when I know that it is just built on past experiences…there is no inherent wisdom in it.  What if I trusted God, the Universe, Love, Nature (whatever you want to call your Higher Power) more than I trusted my model?  Hummmmm... that sure would make sense since I am not Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent, yet God is.    

Today I will practice recognizing when I am using my model to see the world and letting that go so that I can begin to see through the eyes of Spirit.

An ever expanding awareness

Michael suggests that instead of focusing on enlightenment, focus on taking down the walls which are blocking the light. 

I have had a trying situation come up the last few days... a situation that requires my presence, my attention in a worldly sense.  I need to deal with this situation as best as I can, and then let it go.  No holding on to worry, resentment, regret...  I know that right in the midst of this challenge is an opportunity for spiritual growth...an opportunity to take down some of my walls.

Leaving the comfortable house built in the middle of the sunlit field requires facing my fears and letting them go.  Life will show us our fears that are blocking the light.  How beautiful this is, really.  I don't have spend time and energy figuring out what is keeping me from embodying my Truest and Highest Self.  Life gives me the answers to that puzzle each time I experience fear.  All I have to do is watch and release.

"Your awareness can expand to encompass vast space instead of the limited space in which you dwell.  Then when you look back at that little house you built, you will wonder why you were ever in there...True freedom is very close; it's just on the other side of your walls." (T.U.S., p. 117-118).

 

Defending

I have noticed how often I defend myself.  Here are a couple of examples that might not seem like defensiveness at first glance.  I went skiing yesterday and  my negative attitude about certain snow boarders (who my limited self viewed as careless, inconsiderate, dangerous to ski with...) was a defensive reaction.  The same was true of my reaction the the guy tail-gating me as I drove down the mountain.  In both cases I was defending my image as the careful skiier/driver and was critical of them.  My defensiveness was not apparent to the outside world but it was still present.

Michael points out that our self-image is created by thoughts...a set of beliefs that we hold about ourselves, and when the walls of our self-image are threatened, we patch them up with more thoughts (e.g., "I am a more careful driver than him," "skiiers are more considerate than snow boarders"...)

But all of this defending is blocking the light...just like the example of the person who built the comfortable home in the middle of a beautiful, sunlit field and then created artificial light inside the house.

"...we build a world within the confines of our inner walls that is better than the inner darkness.  We decorate our walls with the memories of our past experiences and with our dreams of the future...But just as the people in the house had the potential to step out of their own self-made, artificial world into the beauty of the natural light, you can step outside your house of thoughts into the unlimited." (T.U.S., p117).

We do this one thought, one feeling at a time.  Watch and release.