Sunday, October 18, 2015

Un-Learning the Ways of Un-Love

Here is a beautiful message that reinforces in me such a wonderful truth. It is from Swami Chaitanaya Keerti:
Often I say, learn the art of love. What I really mean is learn the art of removing all that hinders love. It is a negative process. It is like digging a well – you go on removing layers of earth, stones, rocks and then suddenly there is water. The water was always there as an undercurrent. When you remove all the barriers, the water is available. So with love. Love is the undercurrent of your being. It is flowing but there are many rocks, much earth to be removed. That’s what I mean when I say learn the art of love. It is really not learning love but un-learning the ways of un-love.”
A Course in Miracles (ACIM) states the same truth in the Introduction to the Course:
“This is a course in miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free will does not mean that you can establish the curriculum. It means only that you can elect what you want to take at a given time. 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. The opposite of love is fear, but what is all-encompassing can have no opposite.
“This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way:
“Nothing real can be threatened.
“Nothing unreal exists.
“Herein lies the peace of God.”  [Bold Italics mine]
As a note to myself, I paraphrased the Introduction in the margin of my text this way: “This is a Course in un-doing and removing the ego-thought system of duality. It is a course in mind training. Collectively, we are the Son of God. So, I am to deal with myself to eliminate my fears. I am not destined to become “so cerebral and smart” so I can fix everyone else.”
I used to say to folks, “My spiritual job is to shine my light.” I was gently corrected. Now, I know my job is to allow my light to shine. That’s a significant difference. My light is always there – it is just covered up by all the crud I continue to clutter my mind with and believe is really important. I now understand my job is simply to remove the crud that has been hiding my light. It will shine on its own.
Consequently, my real “battle” has been (and still is) to un-learn my tendency to see all the barriers to love as being “out there” somewhere. The barriers to living my love are all in my head – all in my thinking and I can learn to change what it is I think. That is the mind training the Course discusses.
I am so grateful that I am a recovering alcoholic. When I get frustrated by my lack of progress, I just need to remember all that I have re-learned and un-learned in my decades of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous. I am no longer the person who first walked into those rooms. What triggered my change of thinking? When did it actually happen? When did I become aware?
I have no clue.
However, by doing differently, by thinking differently, by responding differently, by reacting differently – day by day – I changed and so can you. I was changed and so will you be.
If I always do what I’ve always done, I’ll always get what I’ve always got. 
Amen.
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 Oct 2015

Copyright 2015

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