In spiritual awakening there is a gradual unfolding
of deeper and more subtle awareness. All of the impulses that come to you, come
from Spirit. There is not a thought that is your own. Spirit individuates
through each of us as we express ourselves.
Nothing outside of you is outside of
Spirit. In other words, everything that comes to you comes from Spirit. With
this realization, the need to control the situations in life and the fear of
not doing the right thing will begin to dissolve. As you build trust in Spirit,
serendipitous and synchronistic events happen more frequently. Being in the
right place at the right time is the result of trusting this awareness. All of
the infinite energy of the universe is now available to you. It is limitless
and unbounded, and it is always there. By releasing the blocks and limitations
of ego that keep you from the light of Spirit, you accept the path of freedom.
These words sound good, but how do
you remove these limitations and blocks? How do you ground these ideas into a
practice that becomes the basis for a good and simple life? How do you
surrender to Spirit? First, hold the
awareness that nothing is outside of Spirit.
When you feel a reaction to anyone or anything, know that your spiritual
work is at hand. And then—
1. Be in witness. Allow yourself to see what arises. Neutrally observe even if you are in pain or
disharmony mentally, emotionally or physically. Relax your body. Let go. If you are reacting
against something, you are out of center. As soon as your mind starts to argue
or defend, stop it. Return to the breath and relax. Return again and again to
the neutral witness.
2. Accept yourself when you see your weaknesses, and do not go into
self-rejection. Just witness. So you get angry, so you are stubborn, and so
you are self-righteous. You are, so deal with it, and stop thinking that you
are something that you are not. You are not above or beyond these places; it is
how you react to them that you must work with.
3. Own what is yours. When you find those places, own your anger, own
your projections, own your stubbornness, and they will then become your points
of power. Stop blaming someone or something outside of yourself.
4. Let those places burn through completely; that is tapas. You have now been able to go into
witness, you have seen your reaction, and you are going to own it. You still
feel threatened and angry, or whatever. The energy is still there, but you are
responding to the energy differently than before. Tapas is purification; it’s active and it burns. You may feel heat;
you may feel your heart pounding, your blood pumping, and any number of things
as the emotion runs through you.
Sit with it. As you sit with it, you
are still going to want to enlighten him or her, and to show him or her that
your way is better, but you do not, because you own what is yours. You want the
world to know that you are right, and you are sure that you are right, but no
one is ever going to know or care because you are going to burn up that
self-righteousness. That is tapas.
You are never going to be recognized for what you think you should be
recognized for. That is tapas. You
are never going to be understood in the way you feel you should be understood.
That is tapas. You are never going to
get what you feel that you really deserve. That is tapas. Be humble. You just did something really big, and no one said thank you. That’s tapas.
Sometimes it takes more
time to process those places through, but we don’t care. We stay with the
stimulation until such time as we can let it go. We process it until we can
return to peace.
5. Be grateful for a small victory. Be in appreciation for whatever
small gains you are able to realize. Do not go around thinking about what you
are supposed to be like as a spiritual
person. Be content to do this humble work in a small but powerful way, in
increments as Spirit sees fit to bring it to you. That is humility. That is the
practice.
6. Be patient with the process and let go of an unrealistic desire for
completion. Persevere. You have to be able to be willing to be incomplete
and to be okay with both your shortcomings and strengths. You are a work in
progress and you have everything you need. Accept how you are right now; take
it or leave it. If you do not take it, then you are resisting it. If you resist
it, then you are doing battle with your own soul again and it comes back on
you. You will lose all your precious and vital energy in this fight. You will
have a drain of energy, and you will not know why. Allow yourself to be in the
process. How you are in the moment is what you bring to it. Stand up front with
all of your imperfections, and go forth.
(April 2002)
Maresha's next blog will be published Tuesday, June 16, 2015.
Messages of Light is published by the Sanctuary of Universal Light on Snow Dragon Mountain in Meredith, New Hampshire. A snail mail edition is available bi-monthly, free of charge. www.snowdragonsanctuary.com
Messages of Light is published by the Sanctuary of Universal Light on Snow Dragon Mountain in Meredith, New Hampshire. A snail mail edition is available bi-monthly, free of charge. www.snowdragonsanctuary.com