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.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, June 17, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
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!!
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!!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, June 3, 2011
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.
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.
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