"What wants to be said here?"

I am feeling prompted to listen to the guidance of Spirit more in my daily interactions.  I am enjoying the process of asking "What wants to show up here?"  or "What wants to be said here?".  When I remember to ask these questions I become more centered.  My responses come from a deeper, wiser place instead of from my conditioned mind (ego, fear-based...).  Sometimes I am guided to remain silent, other times I have found myself saying things like "I love you."

Since we are all connected and there is this "We" space between us, asking "What wants to be said here?" helps me to tap into that sacred space. It helps me to realize that what is going on in the situation is not about me.  It is about something greater than me being expressed through me, through the other person, or through the relationship.

The separation that stands between us is a veil.  We are already One.  I set the intention to step into that awareness with greater clarity and heart-felt presence.

what lense are you using?

During a brief guided meditation over the weekend, I became aware of a deep-seated conclusion that I have been operating from in certain areas of my life.  The conclusion is one of unworthiness and although it is not operating in all areas of my life and at all times, it is a part of my egoic self and it blocks me from experiencing the Higher Self.  During the meditation I also became aware of a bright light shining beneath the unworthy view of self.

Adyashanti says "we all yearn for a sense of wholeness and freedom, and yet we attempt to get there through trying to change ourselves, struggling to alter who and what we are.  But struggling is the antithesis of what opens the way for us to awaken from the egoic state of consciousness."  (Falling into Grace, p.76)

If we want to move beyond the struggle to a sense of wholeness, Adyashanti says:  "All that's required is that you begin to notice that place within you that's not struggling...(the place of peace or joy or stillness)...Then just be quiet for a moment, and listen."  (Falling into Grace, p. 77)

I recently heard Rev. Carolyne Mathlin at Unity of Tustin speak about the same topic (Go to www.unitytustin.org if you want to hear the talk given on 10/21/12).  Rev. Carolyne referred to these conclusions that we hold as the lense through which we see our lives. Once we become aware of the lense that we are using, we will be more likely to notice when we are using it.

Rev. Carolyne suggests that whenever you find yourself in a situation where you are saying "When have I seen this before?" or "Here we go again" perhaps you are re-living your story.  Instead of unconsciously responding from the limited ego, you could move your awareness to the witness or a place of quiet within and ask  "How can I respond differently in this situation?"  Similarly, I have heard Adya ask "What wants to be said here?"

I have had a couple of situations arise this week that have tapped this worthiness issue for me.  I have been letting go of the struggle and sitting in the silence.  I will also notice how I can respond differently as situations arise.  I will keep you posted.

take no thought...

So often I am aware of my mind drawing conclusions and making judgments about myself, others, or events (finances, politics, relationships...).  This is the job that I have given my mind to do: fix everything on the outside so that I can feel good on the inside.

When I do this I am way out of balance, operating from my head instead of being grounded in my heart and body.

Also when I make judgments and draw conclusions, I am not accepting what is.  For example, in Falling into Grace (pp. 115-117) Adyashanti talks about letting go of conclusions from the past because it is these beliefs that something should or shouldn't have happened that leads to suffering.  The fact is things did happen and these things were often painful.  The healing occurs when we feel through the situation not by staying stuck on the idea that it should not have happened.  (This is true for past or present situations).

"Any time you argue with what was, what is, or what will be, you limit your ability to experience the vastness of who you are." (falling into Grace p. 116) 

I am reminded of the Buddhist story that goes something like this:
A farmer says to a neighbor "I captured a wild horse today."
The neighbor said "That's good."
The farmer replied "How do you know?"

The next day the farmer's son broke his leg when he tried to tame the horse.
The neighbor said "That's too bad."
The farmer replied "How do you know?"

The next day a war started and because the son had a broken leg he didn't have to fight in the war.
The neighbor said "That's good."
The farmer replied "How do you know?"...

The question is 'Can we let go of conclusions and judgments, and, accept what is?'  This may result in a greater awareness of feelings or a greater intensity of feelings.  The feelings will pass.  They always do.

Please join me this week in watching the mind do its thing and choosing not to get involved.  Let go of the conclusions and judgments and allow the vastness of who you are to emerge.

purifying ourselves

If we want to see the light in ourselves and in others than we need to let go of the thoughts, perceptions and feelings that blind us from Truth.

So often I see myself reacting to others and situations based on behaviors and reactions that were conditioned from my past.  Both Adya and Michael Singer talk about letting the emotions move through us in order to be free of these past issues (or blockages).

Adyashanti talks about "having a complete experience" which is to "find the capacity to feel what we feel without creating more thoughts about it." (falling into grace, p. 107) The goal is to feel the feelings all the way through and not just repress them nor act them out.  It also means not telling ourselves a story about the feelings (e.g., if we are sad about the loss of a job not telling ourselves something like "I'll never find another job in this economy" or "I'm such a failure.").  Just feel the sadness (or whatever the feeling is) and let go of the judgments and conclusions.

Adya says that crying occurs because "our bodies are trying to purify us by washing away painful and toxic emotions...(but) our mind is doing the opposite.  It is re-traumatizing us with its stories and conclusions."  (falling into grace, p. 108)

There is a very bright light in each and every one of us just waiting to shine.  The judgments and conclusions that we make about what is occurring in our lives keep us from experiencing our light and from seeing the light in others.  It is also the avoidance of painful emotions that keeps us blocked from the light.  By staying centered in the moment we can allow life to show us which thoughts and feelings are blocking us from the light and we can choose to let them go.

seeing the divine in everything

"If you would learn the secret of right relations, look only for the divine in people and things, and leave all the rest to God."  --J. Allen Boone in Kinship with All Life.

I really like this quote.  When I am having difficulty seeing the divine in others I say the Ho'oponopono prayer. Here is my version of that prayer.  With the other person in mind I say:

I am sorry for all of the things that have happened to you that keep you from knowing the Truth of who You really are.
Please forgive me for not seeing you as the Light of God.    
Thank you God for expressing as (person's name)
Thank you (person's name) for being my mirror.
I love you.

We have all had many things happen to us that keep us from knowing our divine nature. We also all fail to see the divinity in others at times.  Yet we can choose to see the divine in ourselves as well as in others.  As we do so, our relationships will unfold in divine order.