Commentary on ACIM Lesson 121

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Forgiveness is the key to happiness.

 

 

Today's 'realization worth sharing' was received while in a dental chair, while 'waiting'.   Waiting is often a 'message reception time', similar to standing in line or slipping into neutral in a freeway gridlock....  maybe because there is a kind of alertness combined with 'no expectations' on a moment to moment basis.   Anyway, I was triggered by a dental brochure headline asking something like "Are you showing (the world) your real smile?" (or something like that) and the question popped my head-space over into 'What is real?'.  Of course, instantly also appeared an answer....that "None of us are actually real", that "We were are all dreaming our individual existences".   But there was more....  because I asked back something like 'Who is the dreamer that is dreaming?", and what I saw was that (I need to say this really quietly so that nobody wakes up) WHO I AM IS ACTUALLY 'an angel'.  

 

There was a bit of silence in my head as I got that.  And that everybody else was  an angel too.  It was like discovering a BIG SECRET.  Then I found myself 'feeling' like I had 'wings'.  Big wings.  Like I was a heart, with wings (with a mind attached).  With my imagination I reached out with my wings and brushed a few of the people in the office.... patients, staff, the dentist....  hmmmm.  That was easy.  To bless with a thought.... how natural....  

 

I was given a break (for lab work to get done..."come back in a couple hours"....) I tucked/folded up my wings and ran/drove around getting supplies (I was in Phoenix.... several hours driving from 'home' [Yuma] ) and the only way I could get to all the places in the time allotted was if EVERYTHING went smoothly [traffic, check out lines, etc] BUT, I knew 'I was an Angel' so I 'went for it'.  Several times I started to 'worry' that I wouldn't make it, but again, I remembered I was an angel and that meant I  could trust that it would all work out, so I relaxed and let go and got present again.  And kept moving in High Speed Slow Motion (like you see in movies)... a sort of 'compressed but stretched' time sense...  with definitive choice making (no thinking, no hesitation, no regret, no second guessing)  and (when I saw I WAS going to 'be late' [a few minutes] I reached out into the future and imagined/knew 'there would be no problem... that everything was still perfectly unfolding'.  

 

Thus, walking into the dental office with my 'across town treasure' (a frozen Durian [from Thailand]... my favorite rawfood exotic fruit, aka 'stinkfruit') to display and show everybody, I expected and found (guess what?) No Problem.  I was just (to them) 'right on time'.   (And the 'stinkfruit' did get 'some attention' too....  we all have our 'props'....  as a rawfood angel with invisible wings, I'll use a stinkfruit anyday.  :-)

 

Namaste, 

 

David

_________________________________________

 

This lesson version has been edited by 'Rev. David Seacord' to be 'in the [angelic] first person'. ;-)

 

 

Lesson 121

Forgiveness is the key to happiness.

Here in my own hand is the answer to my search for peace. Here in my own hand is the key to making meaning visible in a world that has so many times seemed to make no sense. Here in my own hand is 'the Way' to safety (in spite of  apparent dangers that appear to threaten me at every turn, and which seem to bring tremendous uncertainty to all my hopes of ever finding quietness and peace). Here, right here, are all my questions answered; and right here is the end of all uncertainty ensured (at last).

The unforgiving mind is full of fear, and offers love no room to be itself; no place where it can spread its wings in peace and soar above the turmoil of the world. The unforgiving mind is sad, without the hope of respite and release from pain. It suffers and abides in misery, peering about in darkness, seeing not, yet certain of the danger lurking there.

The unforgiving mind is torn with doubt, confused about itself and all it sees; afraid and angry, weak and blustering, afraid to go ahead, afraid to stay, afraid to waken or to go to sleep, afraid of every sound, yet more afraid of stillness; terrified of darkness, yet more terrified at the approach of light. What can the unforgiving mind perceive but its damnation? What can it behold except the proof that all its sins are real?

The unforgiving mind sees no mistakes, but only sins. It looks upon the world with sightless eyes, and shrieks as it beholds its own projections rising to attack its miserable parody of life. It wants to live, yet wishes it were dead. It wants forgiveness, yet it sees no hope. It wants escape, yet can conceive of none because it sees the sinful everywhere.

The unforgiving mind is in despair, without the prospect of a future which can offer anything but more despair. Yet it regards its judgment of the world as irreversible, and does not see it has condemned itself to this despair. It thinks it cannot change, for what it sees bears witness that its judgment is correct. It does not ask, because it thinks it knows. It does not question, certain it is right.

Forgiveness is acquired. It is not inherent in the mind, which cannot sin. As sin is an idea I taught myself, forgiveness must be learned by me as well, but from a Teacher other than myself, Who represents the other Self in me. Through Him I will learn how to forgive the self I think I made, and let it disappear. Thus will I  return my mind 'as one' (whole, holy) to Him Who is my true Self, and Who can never sin.

Each unforgiving mind presents me with an opportunity to teach my brothers how to forgive ourselves. Each separated brother awaits release from hell through me, and turns to me for access to Heaven Here and Now. They have no hope, but I am their hope. And as their hope, so do I become me own. My unforgiving mind can and shall and must learn that it is through my own forgiveness that it has been saved from hell. And as I teach salvation, I will surely learn it. Yet all my teaching and my learning will be not of me, but actually, solely of the Teacher Who was given to me to show the way to God.

Today I shall practice learning to forgive. Because I am willing, I can learn today to take into my own hands the key to happiness, and use it on my own behalf, and on behalf of my brothers. I will (with my Teacher) devote ten minutes in the morning, and at night another ten, to learning how to give forgiveness and receive forgiveness, too.

The unforgiving mind does not believe that giving and receiving are the same. Yet I will learn today that they are one through practicing forgiveness toward someone who I think of as 'an enemy', and someone else whom I consider as 'a friend'. And as I learn to see them both 'as one', I will extend this learning, this lesson to myself, and see that their (my enemy's and my friend's) 'escape' included my own.

I will begin the longer practice periods by thinking of someone I do not like, who seems to irritate me, or to cause regret in me if I should meet him; either someone I actively despise, or someone I merely 'try to overlook'. It does not matter what the form my anger takes. I have chosen him already. He will do.

Now will I close my eyes and see him in my mind, and look at him a while. I will to be open to perceiving some light in him somewhere; a little gleam which I had never noticed before. I will be open to find some little spark of brightness shining through the ugly picture that I hold of him. I will look at this picture till I see a light somewhere within it, and then I will let this light extend until it covers him, and makes the picture beautiful and good.

After looking at this changed perception for a while, I will turn my mind to the one I called 'a friend'. Then I will transfer the light I learned to see around my former "enemy" to him. I will perceive him now as more than friend to me, for in that light his holiness shows me my savior, saved and saving, healed and whole.

Then I will let him offer me the light I see in him, and let my "enemy" and friend unite in blessing me with what I gave them. Now am I one with them, and they with me. Now have I been forgiven by myself. Let me not forget, throughout the day, the role forgiveness plays in bringing happiness to every unforgiving mind, with mine among them. Every hour I will tell myself:

Forgiveness is the key to happiness. I will awaken from the 
dream that I am mortal, fallible and full of sin, and know 
I am the perfect Son of God.

 

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 120

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Reviewing:

 

(109) I rest in God.

(110) I am as God created me

 

__________________________________

 

Perfect certainty certainly isn't to be found 'in this world', which is why Jesus declared "My kingdom is NOT 'of this world'" to his listeners.  It's a good example of the truth that changes in external conditions do not change Reality.  The 'world', as beautiful and lovely as it is, is still 'temporary, transient phenomena', and all treasure laid up at it's feet shall inevitably return  (as will our bodies) to dust.  (Actually, even beyond that, ultimately, everything will return to 'thought'.) 

 

But on a more practical level, perfect certainty is available and useable in the navigation of life while in a body.  And there is nothing that one cannot be certain of, once 'emptiness' is a well grounded practice.  In Christian terminology, 'emptiness' might translate to 'selfless', because what oneness IS is emptiness of self-seeking self, and at the same 'time', the fullness of Self-as-everything.  The reason one can then be certain 'anywhere/anywhen' is that when 'nobody's home' (as an ego) the truth about everything is present, because it is the truth about a thing that actually is 'the thing'. We/I just don't see it because we have attached our egoic points of view to it (automatically, and so quickly that it is faster than even the recognition of the object).  

 

Letting the Godness work through the 'me-thought' requires only that I recognize (at least a little) that I am OF a Beyondmyselfness.  My 'roots' are of a Greaterthanmeness.   I am required to hold this recognition so that I do not hurt myself by egoically striving to force an outcome counter to divine intention.  As Pir Vilayat used to say to the young Sufi-me, 'pay attention, and you will see that those things you desired with all your power to be (but which were not given), when looked at from the perspective of a few additional years... they become "Thank you God that you didn't listen to me then.  I can see now that would have be a horrible mistake"....'  I am sure all our lives are full of these kinds of memories.  Yet in the moment, yes, it is sometimes hard to feel the feeling and cry the tears and release the dreams.  I know this because I am human too.  

 

The gift of releasing 'the dreams' is 'emptiness'.  It is into this emptiness that the Sun/Son/Sum of the Godness pours itself.  It is into this vessel made empty by the surrender of 'the person' that the human-at-one-with-the-Godness arises from.  This is divine transformation.  To have it, simply hold onto nothing, even and especially, 'who you are'.  As the lesson today suggests, let God tell us that.  

 

Namaste, 

 

David

 

Lesson 120

For morning and evening review:

(109) I rest in God.

I rest in God today, and let Him work in me and 
through me, while I rest in Him in quiet and in 
perfect certainty.

(110) I am as God created me.

I am God's Son. Today I lay aside all sick illusions of 
myself, and let my Father tell me Who I really am.

On the hour:

I rest in God.

On the half hour:

I am as God created me.

 

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 119

©2010 Rev.  David Seacord

 

Reviewing:

 

(107) Truth will correct all errors in my mind.

(108) To give and to receive are one in truth

 

I am aware that as a teacher of God, I am a beginner.  I am very happy to be so, for even though I do 'make mistakes', I am saturated enough with what we call 'the truth' to clean them up (the mistakes).  As the Course says, that is all that is called for.  Just correction.  Nothing else.  No wallowing in self-pity or unworthiness, no ingratiating posturing or posing, none of that is necessary.  Just correct, and clean up, and then (the important point) MOVE ON.  That doesn't mean run from, deny, forget about--- all that stuff either.  Move on simply means 'return to upright trueness', and be present with 'what is NOW' again.  Actually, the last sentence is the formula for correction and clean up also.  

 

Todays review reminds us of two important points.  Point One is that there IS A WAY to correct errors, and that WAY is found in 'being with' Truth.  This is not a conceptual thing.  Truth is never a conceptual thing.  Truth is a state of Knowledge, and is accessed (as was practiced yesterday) by being still, and listening.  That listening is a silent listening.  It is a listening that has let go of all personal knowing, all personal dreams, all personal desires.  It is a listening that arises when the listener is empty of the world.  And to that listening 'seeing' is given.  That is vision.  Once vision is given, the world is a completely malleable phenomena that responses instantly, like a thoroughbred race horse, to the slightest touch.  That is why life is often referred to (spiritually) as 'the play of God'.  With each of us in our own starring role.  

 

Point Two is that from inside of this 'quiet emptiness which listens' there is no giver and no receiver.  There is only unity flowing (like a perpetual motion machine) with a dynamic pulse that appears to be creating a giver and a receiver.  Yet none that receives may continue to do so without giving, and none that gives may continue to do so without receiving.  Therefore, both states are equal.  What I think Jesus meant when he said 'It is greater to give than to receive' was that (to his listeners who were listening through an agricultural cultural paradigm) it is necessary to ignite the inception of 'unity flowing' by an investment of giving.  He was describing the divine principle of accomplishment through an act of faith.  I.e., you start the engine by 'giving'.  That is not the same as an act of hope.  An act of true faith is always based on a Knowledge of Truth.  It is then, simply correct understanding to see that nothing that is given is ever lost, and that all pure thought is magnified by the selfless sharing of it.  The underlying condition required to realize that 'giving and receiving are one' is simple freedom from personal need.  The Way to this freedom is to forgive oneself for having forgotten God IS, and then 'returning to upright trueness'.  

 

This I teach, that I may also so learn it (real well :-).....  

 

Namaste, 

 

David

 

Lesson 119

For morning and evening review:

(107) Truth will correct all errors in my mind.

I am mistaken when I think I can be hurt in any 
way. I am God's Son, whose Self rests safely in 
the Mind of God.

(108) To give and to receive are one in truth.

I will forgive all things today, that I may learn how 
to accept the truth in me, and come to recognize my 
sinlessness.

On the hour:

Truth will correct all errors in my mind.

On the half hour:

To give and to receive are one in truth.

(108) To give and to receive are one in truth.

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 118

©Rev. David Seacord

 

Reviewing:

 

(105) God's peace and joy are mine.

(106) Let me be still and listen to the truth.

__________________________________________

 

 

Being simple is the great joy of my heart.  

 

This morning I lived in quiet simple appreciation of 'my chores', which I happily returned to after several art show days away...

   

My 'chores' are 'my choices to care for and be responsible for' things in my personal world....  that my parent's citrus trees get watered, ditto their aloe vera beds, ditto my wheatgrass flats, ditto my compost pile.  Then there are 'personal chores': meditation, shaving face, cleansing body temple, doing laundry.... My happiest times have always been just being present in simple moments like these.  

 

Yesterday, as I listened to the banter at the hotsprings between several older men, I recognized it was (in essence) the same as any banter passing between the hip or the powerful or the young too.  But instead of being on the golf course or at the hip party, it was set in a desert hot spring between men who (had they been of a different culture and time) could have been wandering sadhu's (like in India).  But it was the quality of the conversation was the telltale thing....  that these men were all 'being strangers' to each other, and they were conversationally playing the socially accepted cards, talking about where other wild hotsprings were, and who had been there or not, etc.  What I was present to was a loneliness that was not being expressed... covered by joviality and non-stop 'talking about nothing'....

 

It's an interesting balancing act, being in the world and not being 'of it'.  I can be tempted to feel misplaced (or lost) in a world that appears unwilling to be fully open and honest, a world where we/I have been conditioned to be afraid of being our/my true Being of Love.  

 

My own work as an artist is an arena were this plays out for me personally.... because the question is always there (subtly, in the background)....  'They' 'love my work', but how much can I reveal of myself, and if I do, will they want the painting more, or less? (And how much does that matter?--- I have lost sales when I revealed 'too much'.  Or been too-out-of-the-box.)  But NOT revealing who I know I AM has become the source of pain-body signals enough that I have chosen to 'course-correct' in favor of 'living by spirit law' (as contrasted to 'living by social law') more and more.  That's the purpose of all pain signals..... to signal that a course change is being recommended.  

 

So, even though it sometimes produces a buffeting in my comfort zones, I  am exposing who I am straight up more and more.  That's why I am now (30 years after ordination) being publicly 'Rev. David Seacord', instead of just David Seacord.  It's all about being responsible for, and not hiding who I AM (especially, just to feel comfortable and accepted, which is counterfeit for 'being known').  The upside of all this is that it declares publicly what the game is.... and that it's OK to 'talk God here'. And at art shows, for instance, it declares: This is 'spiritual work', and that 'opens the conversation' at a different level. 

 

The down side of course, is that being a 'Reverend' can become a pretty slick ego racket, and when/if that is the case, it dumps me right back into the very same 'separation/superficiality' that I have been judging as 'unspiritual'--- i.e., more duality. Humbling, to understate.  This is why I love Zen--- it is so big--- when it says "Even to be attached to the idea of enlightenment is to go astray.One thing, all things: move among and intermingle, without distinction. To live in this realization is to be without anxiety about non-perfection. To live in this faith is the road to non-duality, because the non-dual is one with the trusting mind".

 

I absolutely love that last line. That 'trusting mind' is (for me) the whole key.  The heart knows trust naturally.  It naturally just Loves. The mind learns it (trust) from the heart.  Perhaps, this 'learning trust' could be the whole purpose of the journey of life....

 

Namaste, 

 

David

 

Lesson 118

For morning and evening review:

(105) God's peace and joy are mine.

Today I will accept God's peace and joy, in glad 
exchange for all the substitutes that I have made 
for happiness and peace.

(106) Let me be still and listen to the truth.

Let my own feeble voice be still, and let me hear the 
mighty Voice for Truth Itself assure me that I am 
God's perfect Son.

On the hour:

God's peace and joy are mine.

On the half hour:

Let me be still and listen to the truth.

 

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 117

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Reviewing:

 

(103) God, being Love, is also happiness.

(104) I seek but what belongs to me in truth.

 

 

 

"Thank you for being the local holy man here and taking care of the shrine" I called out  this morning to the potbellied shirtless motorhome-based retired single male 'drifter' as I left the hot springs I had just been soaking in (as my reward to myself for the intense labor of the just-completed art festival).  He smiled, lit up at the complimentary acknowledgement of his selfless service, and continued to pickup small pieces of trash.

 

I found myself thinking about how we all deeply appreciate being acknowledged for our contributions, and how there are so many 'ways' to be of service.  

 

Perhaps one of the most fundamental ways of being of service is 'giving good listening'.  Of course, to do that well, insightful seeing, of the kind described by the Course, is very useful.  And I have found simply being silent when with 'another' is often a very wonderful way to give permission to 'the other' to share themselves.   Especially, that is, if coupled with an occasional on point question, as this let's the speaker know she/he is being paid attention to.   

 

This simple process of being with another and paying attention is the stuff of miracles.  Why?  Because all it takes to heal a lot of our neuroticism is being seen.  It's what we all most deeply desire.... to be seen, to be known, to be loved.  

 

The counterfeits for love are advertised to us everywhere, and constantly, without let-up, by the world.  As the option to escape the world is mostly wishful thinking, what is left is to become immune to it.  That will require seeing it (the world and it's counterfeits) for what it is.  

 

Neither good nor bad, neither to be desired nor rejected, the Zen wisdom is 'to accept the world completely is identical with true enlightenment'.  That also means to accept in this moment, where we are in the world (ie, our situation, our individual conditions).  This acceptance is the authentic place to begin creating a life in alignment with our highest good (and that means necessarily, everyone else's highest good too).   

 

Inscribed into the marble of the San Diego City Hall this last weekend I read the words: "The Greatest Motive is the Public Good".  Whoever wrote the words, I am sure, understood what Love Is.  And how is this 'greatest motive' expressed?  From within our own unique and individual positions in life, as we are able, we serve selflessly, just like the 'local holy man taking care of the hot springs disguised as a potbellied drifter'.  Once again, nothing is ever "as it seems...."

 

Namaste, 

 

David

 

Lesson 117

For morning and evening review:

(103) God, being Love, is also happiness.

Let me remember love is happiness, and nothing else 
brings joy. And so I choose to entertain no substitutes 
for love.

(104) I seek but what belongs to me in truth.

Love is my heritage, and with it joy. These are the 
gifts my Father gave to me. I would accept all that is 
mine in truth.

On the hour:

God, being Love, is also happiness.

On the half hour:

I seek but what belongs to me in truth.

 

Commentary on Lesson 116

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Reviewing:

(101) God's Will for me is perfect happiness.

(102) I share God's Will for happiness for me.

 

 

What is love?  

 

Each day the answer is expressed differently for me, although at the same time, the underlying principle remains the same.  

 

The principle of love is seeing another as yourself.  As myself.  So love is experienced in our connectedness.  

 

I write this while waiting for the crowds to arrive at the art show I am in (again) this weekend.  Yesterday I had thousands of opportunities to experience my connectedness, and individually, with many, I did.  

 

With the crowd in general, the best I was able to get up to was acceptance, and when that was present, the day was enjoyable.  Yet being a country boy in a big city, often I am amazed at what I see.  My judgements are completely familiar to me, as they are 'cultural' more than 'personal'.   Yet they do present a barrier to the presence of love being 'everywhere'.  

 

This is the spiritual path, to first get the insight that 'love is everywhere', and then, to go into the 'market place' (which may be thought of as 'the thickest of the illusion') and practice 'love is everywhere'.  That is important work.  I remember the saying again.... "It is not the falling down, it is the not getting back up, that matters."  

 

For everyone of us, today is another day 'up at bat', practicing our practices, whatever they may be.  In this, we are unified.  And as the Course repeatedly reminds us, we practice that the unifying miracles of love may arise in the live of multiples of thousands beyond ourselves.   

 

Have a wonderful day creating miracles.

 

Namaste, 

 

David

 

Commentary on Lesson 116

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Reviewing:

(101) God's Will for me is perfect happiness.

(102) I share God's Will for happiness for me.

 

 

What is love?  

 

Each day the answer is expressed differently for me, although at the same time, the underlying principle remains the same.  

 

The principle of love is seeing another as yourself.  As myself.  So love is experienced in our connectedness.  

 

I write this while waiting for the crowds to arrive at the art show I am in (again) this weekend.  Yesterday I had thousands of opportunities to experience my connectedness, and individually, with many, I did.  

 

With the crowd in general, the best I was able to get up to was acceptance, and when that was present, the day was enjoyable.  Yet being a country boy in a big city, often I am amazed at what I see.  My judgements are completely familiar to me, as they are 'cultural' more than 'personal'.   Yet they do present a barrier to the presence of love being 'everywhere'.  

 

This is the spiritual path, to first get the insight that 'love is everywhere', and then, to go into the 'market place' (which may be thought of as 'the thickest of the illusion') and practice 'love is everywhere'.  That is important work.  I remember the saying again.... "It is not the falling down, it is the not getting back up, that matters."  

 

For everyone of us, today is another day 'up at bat', practicing our practices, whatever they may be.  In this, we are unified.  And as the Course repeatedly reminds us, we practice that the unifying miracles of love may arise in the live of multiples of thousands beyond ourselves.   

 

Have a wonderful day creating miracles.

 

Namaste, 

 

David

 

 

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 115

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

_____________________________________________

 

 

Reviewing:

 

(99) Salvation is my only function here.

(100) My part is essential to God's plan for salvation.

 

 

 

Just as there are no true failures, there are no true mistakes.  The difference is in the way we/I hold the experience.  A failure usually involves a clear attempt at an accomplishment, while a mistake is a choice made that we now regret, and perhaps wish we could change.  (That can be done, no matter the illusions that it can't be.)  Both imply self-doubt, which is only possible while being in a state of disconnection with the Godness.  I am not saying there are no mistakes.  I am simply saying there are no true, or real, mistakes.  And even if there were, the way out is through 'forgiveness'.  

 

The whole course is predicated upon that mistakes seem to be real, so real that it is rare for anyone to pierce or penetrate their seemingness to discover they are not.  Naturally 'God-intoxicated' people (Bliss bunnies) are often the only ones in the past that 'got' this.  (Forgive me...it is a 'label'.)  Yet, blissed-out people do get this.  And, in the past, (because I was one in my twenties and then 'lost it' when the world crashed on me...[my 'story']) I have judged them to be 'too woo-woo' to be 'reliable'.  But, all that gets turned on it head at some point, certainly by the time we/I become 'one of them" (again).  Ain't it the way it is?.... resist something, and that you/I become.  

 

Anyway, mistakes are a good leveler, or equalizer.  Given our undeclared 'caste' system (which is essential for the win/lose world of the ego), the 'honest with honor' offer themselves Self Love regardless of appearances, win/lose, mistake/failure or success.  As Amachi has said (actually, many saints have said similar things too) "Fame and shame and name and blame and loss and gain and pleasure and pain.... they are all the same".  It's all just more 'phenomena', more duality.  

 

Ah, duality, our beautiful playpen.  What lessons we have and shall learn here!  And if we/I hear a voice saying 'Hey, I don't belong here!', well, that is true AND that is false, at the same time.  

 

Namaste, 

 

David

 

Lesson 115

For morning and evening review:

(99) Salvation is my only function here.

My function here is to forgive the world for all the errors 
I have made. For thus am I released from them 
with all the world.

(100) My part is essential to God's plan for salvation.

I am essential to the plan of God for the salvation of the world. 
For He gave me His plan that I might save the world.

On the hour:

Salvation is my only function here.

On the half hour:

My part is essential to God's plan for salvation.

 

***********************************

Commentary on ACIM Lesson 114

©2010 Rev. David Seacord

 

Reveiwing:

(97) I am spirit.

(98) I will accept my part in God's plan for salvation.

 

 

Although actually impossible, 'failing' is a beautiful necessity of the spiritual path. (Today's painting, for instance,  was a repeated failure that became a jewel, where all 'mistakes' became 'eventual essential contributions', once I finally 'got the picture'.) How else could we become both grounded and humble in our spiritual skills?  We are all here in this time/space dimensionality to master the lessons of duality, which includes 'success/failure'.  That does not mean becoming 'a king of the world' (which is the goal of the ego, pretty much).  It means something more like 'being a master at recognizing illusions' (and then 'not touching' them).  

 

Direct knowledge is our most precious wealth.  We/I gain this through our experiences WHEN we/I don't lay an egoic story on top of them.  Direct knowledge is the truth that was experienced before the ego/mind activated and laid it's version of what happened over the top of the direct experience.  My guess is about 90% of our habitual egoic reality is made this way (if you/I are 'spiritual').  For most people, egoic reality is nearer 100%, and they are 'unaware' of that.  

 

This +/- 10% window we/I  have is 'the space to take a breath in', and choose to not react, or choose to Love.  This is a huge grace.  It gives you and I an opening to choose to be (or practice being) authentic and real.  You and I already know this deep satisfaction.  We've all experienced it. It is the satisfaction of feeling joy, and freedom of spirit.  It is the freedom of being our heart, of having access to compassion, of being willing to love in the face of Kali (Hindu goddess of destruction [not the exactest translation, but workable]).  

 

Above all, using this window develops courage.  This will result in you/I 'becoming a light', for that which has and is 'courageousness' is very bright to the world (which teaches us all to cower to our fears).  

 

There is no questioning then, about 'what is our purpose, our destiny'.  It simply finds us, for we are visible and not hidden.  Therefore, be bright.  Meet that destiny.  Be Spirit. It is the reason we/I/you are here. 

 

This I teach, that I may also so learn. 

 

Namaste, 

 

David

 

Lesson 114

For morning and evening review:

(97) I am spirit.

I am the Son of God. No body can contain my spirit, 
nor impose on me a limitation God created not.

(98) I will accept my part in God's plan for salvation.

What can my function be but to accept the Word of God, 
Who has created me for what I am and will forever be?

On the hour:

I am spirit.

On the half hour:

I will accept my part in God's plan for salvation.