Spiritual practice

The False-Self and Releasing It

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Feelings of judgment, anger, and hate come from the False-Self. When we act from the False-Self, it is because of a lack of awareness of our own thoughts and beliefs. Kindness, compassion, and empathy come from the True-Self, our natural state. Through awareness, we can awaken to the influence that the False-Self has in our lives. Once we do, eventually we are no longer reactive and can respond appropriately to the events that occur in our lives. Our actions and words stop being destructive and we begin building connection and community instead of fostering separation from any one person or group because they are different from us.

This is not some lofty ideal, but your natural state and can be experienced through developing greater awareness and questioning your current thoughts and beliefs.

In the beginning, you will be pulled away from noticing your thoughts by the False-Self. Each time you discover that you have been distracted, bring your attention back to your thoughts. Do not judge yourself for forgetting, this is a trick of the False-Self to regain its seat of power. Once you notice you have been distracted, bring your attention back to your thoughts. For some, this will be easy and for others, it will be challenging, however, if you stay steadfast in your intention to have the True-Self’s influence greater than the False-Self you will be successful. You cannot fail because you are reconnecting with your natural state, that of the True-Self.

 

No More Change Just Let Go

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I find that many perceive and think that letting go means they have to change. Moreover, of course, we do not like change; we like to stay in our comfort zone even if our comfort zone is uncomfortable. I mean who likes struggle, suffering, and pain, which we often unconsciously associate with change. The truth is change is not required, only reconnecting with our True-Self through awareness is needed.

It does not matter how well, or bad your life may be, you can always let go, try it just once and see what happens. Even the best life, lived well, can be lived more fully.

FEAR

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As an individual, a country and a planet that is becoming more connected than separated we must learn from our deepest fears. Otherwise, we will continue to inflict suffering, pain and even death to others, and ourselves instead of compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and love. When will we learn? When will we face our fears instead of acting out from them? When will we have the courage to do the right thing?

“What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing or any other resistance, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it. We are to learn about fear, not how to escape from it.”

– Jiddu Krishnamurti

 

THE SHIFT

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Beginning to Take Right Action

When we act from our True-Self, it is impossible to hurt another human being. The True-Self is our authentic self; we act from divine guidance, unencumbered by social conditioning. Social conditioning is the process of training people in our society to have certain beliefs, behaviors, desires and emotional reactions, which are approved by society in general or by a certain group within it. We all have social conditioning to some extent. Therefore, do not assume you are above it.

It is only when we act from this conditioning or the False-Self that we hurt others. The False-Self is the person we have become from this social conditioning. In addition to the social conditioning or because of it, we have created a persona to show the world that we are OK, strong and without problems or human frailties. We put on a good face in the midst of our troubles.

After reading this, the next time you lash out or take the wrong action, there will be a moment when who you really are, the True-Self will speak to you. It may happen during or sometime after the event, but it will happen. It will be up to you in that moment to hear the message and to then take the proper action going forward.

This will begin a life-changing chain reaction, it will gradually strengthen your connection to who you really are, the True-Self, and eventually your only choice will be the right action.

The challenge here is to have the desire to live from the True-Self and to break free from the False-Self through awareness. To live a life of right action, instead of continuing to live in your current state of habit, hardened conventionality and for many, a form of self-imposed hypnosis created by your social conditioning.

What if?

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What if love is not just something you do or say. What if you are love; what if you are love in human form? If you saw yourself this way, how would your life change? How would your actions change? What would you do differently? Are you living your life only sometimes as a loving human being, or as an expression of love in human form? Do you see the difference? If only everyone lived this way, can you see how different your life would be, how different the world would be?

For the Seeker of Enlightenment

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The spiritual seeker who seeks enlightenment for himself or herself to help everyone else is being misled by their own ego and thoughts. In a covert way, it perpetuates our separation. We must recognize that this is a collective journey. The future of spirituality will not be found in the “enlightenment” of a single person or group of people, it will arrive through us collectively.

Therefore the phrase, “we are all one” is not just a catchphrase, but brings to light the totality of consciousness. Our recognition and experience of this truth brings our energy into alignment with the creative force of the Universe. This shift in thinking is more valuable than our efforts up to this point. Once we embody this truth, any action we take from this higher level of understanding will accelerate the ongoing evolution of our collective spiritual journey and it will accelerate the arrival of enlightenment on the collective level.

The recognition and experience that “we are all one” is shown to us through an internal knowing, intuition or personal experience, and is accessed in a state of non-thinking. A state of non-thinking can be reached in many ways, meditation, contemplative prayer, time alone in nature or any other way that quiets the mind.

You do not seek this experience, but allow it into your awareness by awakening to what is. When we are awestruck by a beautiful sunset we do not seek the feeling out it just happens, because the awe that you experience is in the sunset. This is also true when experiencing the totality of consciousness and our oneness. However, if you are too busy experiencing the busyness of life, your thinking will never slow down enough to connect with your True-Self, which is one with the totality of all things.

Do not allow the thinking of your False-Self to tell you that you do not have time or that when you do take time that it is not working. Because this is how the cunning False-Self keeps us looped in a perpetual state of busyness. From here we cannot experience our oneness, release our conditioning or see the truth that is all around us.

Social Media Syndrome

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Social media syndrome has several symptoms, however today I am only writing about one symptom, not listening.

When it comes to politics and other societal issues, social media has become a platform to champion our views. Unfortunately, many no longer listen to what others have to say and only use the platform to express their beliefs in hopes of convincing others that their views are right.

Many times these opinions are based on long-held beliefs that no longer hold true, were acquired out of social conditioning, or they are based on false information. We will also often disseminate false information without verifying or questioning the information because it falls into alignment with our beliefs. We make comments out of anger and frustration only because someone else does not have the same beliefs. It is our way of saying that what I believe is right and what you believe is wrong.

This kind of thinking only leads to greater divides in our country, which is very evident today. This is how tribal (like-minded) thinking works: if you do not agree with the tribe then you are ostracized from your tribe. It has nothing to do with being right or wrong most of the time; it is about whether your views agree with the majority views of your tribe. If they do not, then you are wrong.

We can look back through history and find many examples of this happening in the world. For example, anyone who disagreed with the world not being flat was considered crazy, as were the scientists and explorers who went against conventional thinking in their time. Approximately 77,000 German citizens were killed for not being part of Hitler’s tribe. In today’s society, we have Global warming: which tribe are you a part of on this subject?

If we ever want to reach a consensus, we must be willing to listen to one another. We can no longer just espouse our views and expect to find our way to peace. We can no longer just repeat the reported facts because they fall into alignment with those beliefs. We must ask questions, investigate and find the facts for ourselves, and we must we must call into question the truth or validity of our own beliefs, instead. Where did they come from anyway? Do you know? Do they still hold true? This is not only true for social media, we must become the listener in everyday life as well, which means at home, work and in our relationships.

The cure for social media syndrome requires each one of us to have the willingness to look at our beliefs and question them, to question what we hear as fact and to become a listener first. Have you ever noticed that you are practicing what you are going to say in rebuttal as soon as the other person starts talking, without even hearing their complete thought? This is not listening, it is an unconscious way of living, we continually repeat the same things and ideas without any thought, and it becomes automatic.

The next time you get the urge to post something on social media, be sure to fact check what you are posting. Do not share it just because it falls in alignment with your beliefs. Monitor your own thoughts about why you are posting or commenting about something. Notice how you are feeling: Are you posting out of anger or frustration? Is what you are about to say or write bringing people closer together, or does it create a greater divide? Does it lift someone up or are you trying to tear him or her down? Is it kind or unthoughtful?

Remember that when we respond out of anger or fear we are not listening, we are ignoring the symptoms of social media syndrome. Remember to fact check your own thoughts, question them and take a breath before posting or commenting out of anger, fear or the idea that you are right and the other person is wrong, stupid or ignorant. Saying nothing in these situations is more self-empowering than speaking out from the wrong state of mind. Holding onto a position to make yourself feel powerful or to make YOU FEEL RIGHT will only lead to sickness in the mind, body, and world. If you look at the world today with an open heart, you will see that this is true.

 

 

Seeing the Actions of Others Differently

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Why is it as adults we have no patience, endurance, steadfastness or love for other adults when they take actions or say things that we do not like? Yet usually, we can find these qualities for children when they are being difficult in abundance. Why does every action by an adult have to be perceived as they should know better or they should not act that way? If they knew better, wouldn’t they do better? Perhaps we need to see them as the child and treat them with some understanding. If we did, maybe our world would be a little better for it.

We Are All Part of the Divine

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What we tend to forget is that we are all part of the Divine, not just some of us, not just the ones who believe in this religion or that religion. Not just the people who belong to this political party or that political party, we are all part of the Divine. Not just the straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, we are all part of the Divine. Not just someone who is Caucasian, Black, Brown, Red or Yellow, we are all part of the Divine. We must stop seeing just our differences and see what resides in all people and all things, the Divine.

If we do not recognize this in others and ourselves then we are at war within and blocking the Divine. Being at war is what we seem to do the best these days, we have the war on drugs, the war on terrorism, we go to war with anyone or anything we do not like or want in our lives, including ourselves.

What we should really focus on is being better at living life from the Divine and shining this part of ourselves, this light, out into the world no matter who we are or what we believe. Remember today when you feel angry with someone or do not like him or her for any reason at all, they are part of the Divine just like you.

Do you want them to see this part of you or the part that is angry, hateful or mean? The choice is yours in each moment and you can start again fresh each time you slip back into war, just reconnect with the Divine again. If you do this reconnection enough times, eventually you will only act from the Divine with kindness and love in life. This may happen quickly for some and take years for others, but the more of us who reconnect the easier it will be for everyone because we are all part of the Divine.

What kind of world do you want to live in? You cannot rely on someone else to do it for you. You have to make the choice. Will you start today or not at all? Because if you do not start today and at least try your best, then we will all continue to suffer because we are all part of The Divine.

Awaken to the Present Moment

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Today is your day, your best day. Why, because it is the only day you have for sure. Do not compare today to some place in the past that you thought was worse or better. When you do, you have left the present moment and are now residing in the past. Do not look for your peace and happiness in the future, because once again you have left the present moment.

What you seek already lives within you, whether you seek peace, security, happiness, love or the energy to create. It is here in the present moment and nowhere else.

When we are in a state of worry or struggle, it is because we have left the present moment and stepped into the past or we are looking to the future because this moment does not meet our expectations. When we stay in the moment, our worry and struggle fall away. It is only when we want something different from what is, that we suffer. Accepting what is, along with gratitude, brings peace and allows us to create from the field of all possibilities.

Accepting the truth does not mean we have to like it or that it will be perfect in our eyes. Furthermore, it does not mean that it will always be that way. In fact, things are always changing and once we embody this truth, we will begin to allow and co-create something different with the Creative Energy of the Universe.

We must begin to look into the face of what is and trust that all will be well. If we are unable to do this, then we have lost our faith. I am afraid that faith is one of those things that if we try to live without it, we may find ourselves getting lost in life.

How many times have you been worried, struggling in life or endured difficult times? Remember these times and the struggle you have already experienced. That struggle brought you to this place and made you who you are at this very moment. You survived it all and if you leave your struggle and worry behind you will move through whatever challenges you face going forward in life with more ease and grace.

As long as we look through the eyes of our conditioning, we are guided by the False-Self. However, when we see things honestly and look through the eyes of truth, we are connected with our True-Self.

It is through awareness that we begin to see this conditioning and are able to release it forever. This process of letting go or more appropriately said, waking-up helps us to become more connected to the present moment and our True-Self. We are then able to live our lives more fully, with ease and grace, with more opportunities to create from the field of all possibilities.