How Do I Allow Something To Happen?

Last week I wrote, “Your ‘job’ is not to shine your light, but to allow your light to shine…. Over time I began to understand the significance of making that little shift. How do I do that? How do I make that shift? How do I make myself passive?”

Technically, I don’t. My True Self is an already-loved eternal spirit full of loving light. The ego-thoughts I choose to keep in my focus dims this loving light. All I need to do is be willing, ask the Holy Spirit for a different way of seeing, and still my mind enough to hear the whispers of guidance. That’s it. That’s what ACIM suggests. But that’s really tough for me to do – especially when I’m in the middle of sitting on my pity-pot, enjoying my martyrdom, or relishing my righteous anger.

In response to that post (Allowing Rather Than Doing – Msg-3-Jan-2014) I had several communications asking how I go about “allowing.” We hear of politicians or corporate bigwigs caught in some hurtful scandal and their part was that they “allowed” things to go on too long, or “allowed” things to become too punitive, or “allowed” things to remain mismanaged. That may be what happens to Gov. Chris Christie in New Jersey. Is that the kind of “allowing” we’re talking about – which is basically doing nothing when you could have done something?

The Introduction to A Course in Miracles (ACIM) states: “… The Course does not aim at teaching the meaning of love, for that is beyond what can be taught. It does aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of love’s presence, which is your natural inheritance….” [ACIM, T: Introduction, p.1]

Well, what are the “blocks” I have that prevent me from seeing or living in love’s presence? What do I do or say or think that prevents me from being aware of love’s presence? I believe the answer to these questions is also the answer to the question: How do I “allow?”

Essentially, ACIM is a course in “un-doing” and removing the ego-thought system of duality, fear and guilt. Guilt is especially important because it is the primary expression of fear. These are the “blocks” that keep me from seeing love’s presence. Fear. Guilt. Duality.

From the text [T-12:VII.5.1-6]: “You see what you expect, and you expect what you invite. Your perception is the result of your invitation, coming to you as you sent for it.... Two ways of looking at the world are in your mind [Ego & Holy Spirit], and your perception will reflect the guidance you have chosen.”

From the text [T-12-VIII.3-6]: “When you made visible what is not true, what is true became invisible to you…. It is invisible to you because you are looking at something else. Yet it is no more up to you to decide what is visible and what is invisible, than it is up to you to decide what reality is.

“Because of your Father's Love you can never forget Him, for no one can forget what God Himself placed in his memory. You can deny it, but you cannot lose it. A Voice will answer every question you ask, and a vision will correct the perception of everything you see....

“You have but to ask for this memory, and you will remember… [The] memory of God can dawn only in a mind that chooses to remember, and that has relinquished the insane desire to control reality. You who cannot even control yourself should hardly aspire to control the universe…. By making nothing real to you, you have seen it. But it is not there. And Christ is invisible to you because of what you have made visible to yourself.”

Although these are tremendous words, let me give you a simple example. We see babies trying to catch floating spots they think they see after looking into the flash of a camera. If the babies could comprehend what you’re saying, what would they think when you told them there were no real floating spots of light? They would think you’re an idiot! “Of course they are there. I see them, can’t you?” Then they would continue to reach for them as if these floating spots were real.

So, what floating spots do I look at and believe are real? What kind do you look at? What floating spots are preventing me from seeing the true world of the spirit Perhaps: Our belief in the reality of money as freedom, power or security? Our belief in the power of force, might, or war based on our concept of being right? Our belief that all poor people are lazy? Our belief that if someone attacks me, it’s okay to attack back? Our belief that the Bible (or the Torah, or the Quran, or ACIM, or…) is the ONLY correct guide to a spiritual life?

Here’s what ACIM describes as a bunch of floating spots we think are real [T-13.Introduction, 1-3]:

“If you did not feel guilty you could not attack, for condemnation is the root of attack. It is the judgment of one mind by another as unworthy of love and deserving of punishment. But herein lies the split. For the mind that judges perceives itself as separate from the mind being judged,… For it is guilt that has obscured the Father to you, and it is guilt that has driven you insane.

 “The acceptance of guilt into the mind of God's Son was the beginning of the separation, as the acceptance of the Atonement [seeing with Holy Spirit’s perception of things] is its end. The world you see is the delusional system of those made mad by guilt. Look carefully at this world, and you will realize that this is so. For this world is the symbol of punishment, and all the laws that seem to govern it are the laws of death. Children are born into it through pain and in pain. Their growth is attended by suffering, and they learn of sorrow and separation and death. Their minds seem to be trapped in their brain, and its powers decline if their bodies are hurt. They seem to love, yet they desert and are deserted. They appear to lose what they love, perhaps the most insane belief of all. And their bodies wither and gasp and are laid in the ground, and are no more. Not one of them but has thought that God is cruel.

“If this were the real world, God would be cruel. For no Father could subject His children to this as the price of salvation and be loving. Love does not kill to save. If it did, attack would be salvation, and this is the ego's interpretation, not God's….”

Sound familiar to you? It sure does to me. So, what do I do?

I cannot ask my ego to stop seeing the world through my eyes of guilt, fear, and duality. That is my ego’s way of existing. I can only ask. Ask what? Ask for a different way of looking at the situation, event or person. This isn’t a “Once and Done” kind of occurrence. This is constant. I cannot stop my mind from having thoughts. However, I can learn to train my mind to understand that no thought is “idle.” I can, at times, control which thoughts I will (or will not) pay attention to.

“Every thought in our mind is producing something all the time, contributing to truth or to illusion. [The Course’s] aim is to make us aware of our thoughts and their effects. It desires us to be intimately involved in the process of choosing the thoughts that occupy our minds and produce their effects in the world around us.” [Allen Watson, A Workbook Companion, Vol. 1, Circle Publishing, 2005, p.47]

The Course gives me instruction as to what I can do. It tells me to realize that it is my thoughts that are truly upsetting me – and my thoughts are not real. It teaches me that all I need to do to change my thoughts is to be willing to see things differently. To do that all I need to do is ask the Holy Spirit for a different way of looking at things. Then I need to stop, still my mind, and listen to the whispers of truth. Even if I don’t hear a whisper, I can stop listening to my thoughts. I can just let them be. I don’t have to give voice to them. I don’t have to act on them. I don’t have to argue with them. I can simply do nothing with them.

However, when I do hear the whisper, I need to act. It does me no good to hear the whisper of the Holy Spirit and then say to myself: “That’s a nice suggestion, but….”

I hope this helps.

Although these messages are mostly for me, thanks for listening. As always – feel free to forward this message to your friends, family, and those accompanying you on your spiritual journey.

Don

#4 January, 2014

Copyright, 2014

Allowing Rather Than Doing

I haven’t done exhaustive research in my files, but if I had to guess, I would conclude the most often asked question or comment I get has to do with someone wanting to implement changes that will alter their perception of a situation, person or event. Representative of these kinds of comments is one I recently received from a subscriber in the UK:

[With her permission]: “I really look forward to reading your posts. Thank you. You talk lots about if I change my perception my world will change.  I think I’m beginning to get it. I am starting on a new endeavour to keep my focus on the better aspects of my life, rather than focusing on what drives me bonkers.“

I’m pleased my posts or messages are resonating, and I am pleased at the willingness this writer has to change her perception. However, when we do this – and believe me, I’m just as guilty as anyone – we have put the cart before the horse. We don’t change our perceptions. We allow it.

I remember when I used to believe and state: My spiritual “job” is to shine my light. Then it was pointed out to me: “That belief, Don, still leaves you in control. Your ego is still running the show” 

“What do you mean?”

“Your ‘job’ is not to shine your light, but to allow your light to shine.”

Over time I began to understand the significance of making that little shift.

Grammatically, the sentence moves from active to passive – and that is truly significant on several levels. I really do become passive. Not in a namby-pamby way, but in a manner that underscores “I am not in control; my ego is not running things.”

How do I do that? How do I make that shift? How do I make myself passive?

Technically, I don’t. My True Self is an already-loved eternal spirit full of loving light. The ego-thoughts I choose to keep in my focus dims this loving light. All I need to do is be willing, ask the Holy Spirit for a different way of seeing, and still my mind enough to hear the whispers of guidance. That’s it. That’s what ACIM suggests. But that’s really tough for me to do – especially when I’m in the middle of sitting on my pity-pot, enjoying my martyrdom, or relishing my righteous anger.

Sometimes, I do not literally ask the Holy Spirit for a different way of seeing things. The Holy Spirit responds to an honest and willing desire to change. In my case the very first time this happened to me the words that came out of my mouth were not, “I need to see things differently,” but: “I can’t do this anymore. I need help.” Simple. Honest. Sincere.

That straightforward surrender (being Honest, Open and Willing – HOW) was the beginning of a 4-month process that started with getting a personal accountant to put me on a budget and ended with beginning my recovery from alcoholism.

Whenever I try to change my perception, that’s exactly what happens. I try – emphasis on “I.” My perception doesn’t really change. My ego has usurped my willingness and taken control of the process. It says to me: “I know what you need. Put yellow ‘stickies’ all over the place. I’ll find a mantra you can recite twice daily. I’ll make sure you feel better because I’ll make sure you are convinced you’re doing the right thing and are better than that ‘idiot’ you work with or more magnanimous than your partner.”

When I think this way about changing my perception, it suddenly has become a task for me to accomplish rather than a shift that I have allowed. When shifting my perception is a task for me to do, the shift never occurs. I get even more frustrated, angry and exasperated. It is still ego-driven. When the shift I have allowed to happen actually occurs, I’m generally not even aware of it.

I remember when I first realized my compulsion to drink was lifted, I was not aware of how and when that happened. I was in an AA meeting and someone was sharing about her compulsion and wondering aloud when it would disappear. I suddenly realized it had been a long time since I had felt the compulsion to drink. No thunderclap. No singing angels. My compulsion had just faded away. The 12 Steps had promised me a new sense of spirituality, if I was honest, open, willing and diligent in working them. That sense of spirituality did indeed occur – but when? Where? How? I can attest to the reality of my spirituality (in fact it is the basis of my current, 20-year spiritual path) but I have no clue as to exactly what happened to me. All I know is that I worked the Steps and I am different.

I remember sitting with a subordinate at work – a fellow I had worked with several years earlier. He told me, “Don, what has happened to you? I knew you back then and know you now. You look the same but you are totally different. I didn’t like nor respect you then. I do now. I wanted you to know that.” I answered him by telling him of my journey in recovery and the personal growth that was occurring.

I have experienced the reality of changes in my perception when I have allowed it. I have also experienced the frustration, anger, and disappointment when I have labored to make my perceptions change in ways that are meaningful to my ego.

You’d think I would have gotten the message by now. Think again. I still fall in the trap of trying to figure out how to better my life. Trust me – I’m still very familiar with frustration, anger, and disappointment!

I hope this helps.

Although these messages are mostly for me, thanks for listening. As always – feel free to forward this message to your friends, family, and those accompanying you on your spiritual journey.

Don

#3 January, 2014

Copyright, 2014

Moving Toward Authentic, Rather Than External, Power

As I’ve written these messages I have had a difficult time trying to explain the role intuitive knowing has become to me. In general terms this is the awareness I have that I am not a human with a soul, but an already-loved spirit that temporarily has a body. Sometimes I have described this knowing as Knowledge without the use of my five senses; sometimes as the Knowledge that comes from intuition or experiential faith.

In any event I recently re-read a book I had perused many years ago called “The Seat of the Soul” by Gary Zukov (Simon & Schuster, 1989). He has hit the nail on the head in his description of the evolution of humankind from external power to authentic power, which is the reason we’re all here. He builds the case that we are evolving from a five-sensory modality of physical reality based on survival  (the basis of external power) to a perception of the invisible, but larger, dynamic systems of which physical reality is only a part (the basis of authentic power).

In short, we are evolving from external to authentic power.

In Chapter One of the book he explains that acquiring external power was the goal of humans who were in the 5-sensory modality. That is the physical world, as experienced and known by our five senses, and it was all we thought reality consisted of. There are still many who cannot comprehend anything other than the “reality” of the physical world and our perceptions of it. “That was a wonderful sermon (or book or movie or documentary),” we might hear someone say. “But now lets get back to the ‘real’ world.” These are the kinds of comments made by those who believe external power is all there is – because it is all they have experienced and all they can see.

In discussing the face of external power Zukov writes: “Money is a symbol of power. Those who have the most money have the most ability to control their environment and those within it.... [Money,] education, social status, fame, and things that are owned, if we derive a sense of increased security from them [underline mine], are symbols of external power. Anything we fear to lose … is a symbol of external power. What we fear is an increase in our vulnerability. This results from seeing power as external.” [p. 24]

Zukov goes on [pp 26-8]: “After millennia of brutality to one another, individual to individual and group to group, it is now clear that the insecurity which underlies the perception of power as external cannot be healed by the accumulation of external power…. This is how we have evolved until now, and this is what we [have to] leave behind….

“Authentic power has its roots in the deepest source of our being. Authentic power cannot be bought, inherited, or hoarded. An authentically empowered person is incapable of making anyone or anything a victim…. [T]he idea of using force against another is not a part of his or her consciousness…. We are evolving from five-sensory humans into multisensory humans. Our five senses… form a single sensory system that is designed to perceive physical reality. The perceptions of a multisensory human extend beyond physical reality to the larger dynamical systems of which our physical reality is a part. The multisensory human is able to perceive, and to appreciate, the role that our physical reality plays in a larger picture of evolution, and the dynamics by which our physical reality is created and sustained. This realm is invisible to the five-sensory human.

“It is in this invisible realm that the origins of our deepest values are found. From the perspective of this invisible realm, the motivations of those who consciously sacrifice their lives for higher purposes make sense, the power of Gandhi is explicable, and the compassionate acts of the Christ are comprehensible in a fullness that is not accessible to the five-sensory human….

“From the perspective of the five-sensory human we are alone in a universe that is physical. From the perspective of the multisensory human, we are never alone, and the universe is alive, conscious, intelligent and compassionate. From the perspective of the five-sensory human, the physical world is an unaccountable given in which we unaccountably find ourselves, and we strive to dominate it so that we can survive. From the perspective of the multisensory human, the physical world is a learning environment that is created jointly by the souls that share it, and everything that occurs within it serves their learning. From the perspective of the five-sensory human, intentions have no effects, the effects of actions are physical, and not all actions affect us or others. From the perspective of the multisensory human, the intention behind an action determines its effects, every intention affects both us and others, and the effects of intentions extend far beyond the physical world. “

Perhaps what those that blog or channel spiritual entities – concerning Gaia’s rising consciousness or humankind as being an evolving star-seed – is this same awareness they are trying to communicate. Perhaps these writers have had the same difficulty verbalizing their awareness as I have.  I know that my sense of reality changed significantly when I got sober and began trying to apply the principles of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous in all my affairs. Although still grounded in my 5-sensory modality, I had been transported to another level of conscious awareness that had been invisible to me.

Now, some twenty years later, I am finding the truths behind A Course in Miracles (ACIM) resonating with these same thoughts. Although ACIM goes further than Zukov – e.g., the physical world is merely a bad dream; it doesn’t really exist – his explanations are exemplary. He has found the words that I simply couldn’t.

Zukov goes on [p. 29]: “The larger frame of reference of the multisensory human allows an understanding of the experientially meaningful distinction between personality and soul. Your personality is that part of you that was born into, lives within, and will die within time. To be a human and to have a personality are the same thing. Your personality, like your body, is the vehicle of your evolution.

“The decisions that you make and the actions that you take upon the Earth are the means by which you evolve. At each moment you choose the intentions that will shape your experiences and those things upon which you focus your attention. These choices affect your evolutionary process. This is so for each person. If you choose unconsciously, you evolve unconsciously. If you choose consciously, you evolve consciously.” As ACIM explains, there is no sin, only error. If I make an error the Holy Spirit encourages me simply to choose again – with His guidance if I ask for it and then still myself and listen for it as well.

This is a bit of a bite to chew on. I know. But chew anyway. It’s good for your teeth. Peace.

Although these messages are mostly for me, thanks for listening. As always – feel free to forward this message to your friends, family, and those accompanying you on your spiritual journey.

Don

#2 January, 2014

Copyright, 2014

Moving Toward Authentic, Rather Than External, Power

As I’ve written these messages I have had a difficult time trying to explain the role intuitive knowing has become to me. In general terms this is the awareness I have that I am not a human with a soul, but an already-loved spirit that temporarily has a body. Sometimes I have described this knowing as Knowledge without the use of my five senses; sometimes as the Knowledge that comes from intuition or experiential faith.

In any event I recently re-read a book I had perused many years ago called “The Seat of the Soul” by Gary Zukov (Simon & Schuster, 1989). He has hit the nail on the head in his description of the evolution of humankind from external power to authentic power, which is the reason we’re all here. He builds the case that we are evolving from a five-sensory modality of physical reality based on survival  (the basis of external power) to a perception of the invisible, but larger, dynamic systems of which physical reality is only a part (the basis of authentic power).

In short, we are evolving from external to authentic power.

In Chapter One of the book he explains that acquiring external power was the goal of humans who were in the 5-sensory modality. That is the physical world, as experienced and known by our five senses, and it was all we thought reality consisted of. There are still many who cannot comprehend anything other than the “reality” of the physical world and our perceptions of it. “That was a wonderful sermon (or book or movie or documentary),” we might hear someone say. “But now lets get back to the ‘real’ world.” These are the kinds of comments made by those who believe external power is all there is – because it is all they have experienced and all they can see.

In discussing the face of external power Zukov writes: “Money is a symbol of power. Those who have the most money have the most ability to control their environment and those within it.... [Money,] education, social status, fame, and things that are owned, if we derive a sense of increased security from them [underline mine], are symbols of external power. Anything we fear to lose … is a symbol of external power. What we fear is an increase in our vulnerability. This results from seeing power as external.” [p. 24]

Zukov goes on [pp 26-8]: “After millennia of brutality to one another, individual to individual and group to group, it is now clear that the insecurity which underlies the perception of power as external cannot be healed by the accumulation of external power…. This is how we have evolved until now, and this is what we [have to] leave behind….

“Authentic power has its roots in the deepest source of our being. Authentic power cannot be bought, inherited, or hoarded. An authentically empowered person is incapable of making anyone or anything a victim…. [T]he idea of using force against another is not a part of his or her consciousness…. We are evolving from five-sensory humans into multisensory humans. Our five senses… form a single sensory system that is designed to perceive physical reality. The perceptions of a multisensory human extend beyond physical reality to the larger dynamical systems of which our physical reality is a part. The multisensory human is able to perceive, and to appreciate, the role that our physical reality plays in a larger picture of evolution, and the dynamics by which our physical reality is created and sustained. This realm is invisible to the five-sensory human.

“It is in this invisible realm that the origins of our deepest values are found. From the perspective of this invisible realm, the motivations of those who consciously sacrifice their lives for higher purposes make sense, the power of Gandhi is explicable, and the compassionate acts of the Christ are comprehensible in a fullness that is not accessible to the five-sensory human….

“From the perspective of the five-sensory human we are alone in a universe that is physical. From the perspective of the multisensory human, we are never alone, and the universe is alive, conscious, intelligent and compassionate. From the perspective of the five-sensory human, the physical world is an unaccountable given in which we unaccountably find ourselves, and we strive to dominate it so that we can survive. From the perspective of the multisensory human, the physical world is a learning environment that is created jointly by the souls that share it, and everything that occurs within it serves their learning. From the perspective of the five-sensory human, intentions have no effects, the effects of actions are physical, and not all actions affect us or others. From the perspective of the multisensory human, the intention behind an action determines its effects, every intention affects both us and others, and the effects of intentions extend far beyond the physical world. “

Perhaps what those that blog or channel spiritual entities – concerning Gaia’s rising consciousness or humankind as being an evolving star-seed – is this same awareness they are trying to communicate. Perhaps these writers have had the same difficulty verbalizing their awareness as I have.  I know that my sense of reality changed significantly when I got sober and began trying to apply the principles of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous in all my affairs. Although still grounded in my 5-sensory modality, I had been transported to another level of conscious awareness that had been invisible to me.

Now, some twenty years later, I am finding the truths behind A Course in Miracles (ACIM) resonating with these same thoughts. Although ACIM goes further than Zukov – e.g., the physical world is merely a bad dream; it doesn’t really exist – his explanations are exemplary. He has found the words that I simply couldn’t.

Zukov goes on [p. 29]: “The larger frame of reference of the multisensory human allows an understanding of the experientially meaningful distinction between personality and soul. Your personality is that part of you that was born into, lives within, and will die within time. To be a human and to have a personality are the same thing. Your personality, like your body, is the vehicle of your evolution.

“The decisions that you make and the actions that you take upon the Earth are the means by which you evolve. At each moment you choose the intentions that will shape your experiences and those things upon which you focus your attention. These choices affect your evolutionary process. This is so for each person. If you choose unconsciously, you evolve unconsciously. If you choose consciously, you evolve consciously.” As ACIM explains, there is no sin, only error. If I make an error the Holy Spirit encourages me simply to choose again – with His guidance if I ask for it and then still myself and listen for it as well.

This is a bit of a bite to chew on. I know. But chew anyway. It’s good for your teeth. Peace.

Although these messages are mostly for me, thanks for listening. As always – feel free to forward this message to your friends, family, and those accompanying you on your spiritual journey.

Don

#2 January, 2014

Copyright, 2014