THIS MONTH’S THOUGHT: The more conscious one is, the more sensations and the more vibrations in the world around one, one experiences. Not all of them would be classified as pleasant. In fact, one would be in severe danger if one only experienced the pleasant sensations.

SCIENCE OF MAN – LESSON TWENTY-ONE: (Continued from last month)

Now this is a beginning to experience agape. It is a great spiritual experience and there is still another spiritual experience, maybe many, many more because…. there are many, many more levels of agape, love, consideration to be experienced. And it is an experiencing, not a practice. The only practice is self-observation, paying attention is the practice. All other happens as an experiencing as an outcome of that.

The next possible spiritual experience one may experience is that of faith. Faith on one level is the ability to make up one’s mind. Now this one can experiment with and see if one can make up one’s mind. Or do many things appear to be impossible and one can’t make up its mind. One cannot make up ones mind about certain things. Because it says, “Well, I’d like it that way, but,” and so one can’t make up one’s mind. This gives one the great possibility of not criticizing that one can’t make up the mind, but finding where there are still powerful not-Is, doubters, limitations, that are still lurking about under one form or another and still dark within. Even though one has Light enough to see many things, there’s still things hidden in corners, sometimes, or under cabinets, or under furniture or what have you. So let’s look for the things that when you attempt to make up the mind, honestly, and you see that it cannot be, there is still a not-I that gains power over I and says, “Yeah, you know that can’t be done”. A person is ill and they make up their mind they’re going to be well but something says, “Well after all, you can’t be well, because this is a hereditary disorder or it’s an incurable disorder. Then there is still some lurking point from the old decision that says, “Believe and do what you’re told by your authorities”. And some authority said it’s incurable. Or it can’t get well. Or it was hereditary and you can’t do anything about it”. But when one sees this, one begins to be able then to look and see where there is still bits of conditioning that still is somewhat, identified with, are agreed with. And that I still believes these mammon ideas. But most often, it will say, “See you can’t even make up your mind, yet, you don’t have any faith. You haven’t seen anything”. So there’s one of those little accusing not-Is that sits around and makes noises. But it is a barometer. It is a great asset in aiding self-observation to attempt to make up the mind and not to accept the criticism because one can’t. But be thankful that one has discovered there is still a not-I over in the corner somewheres that is having very powerful effect. And as one observes this, one finds them. And remember that the Work says that we’re to only see the not-Is, be aware of them, experience confession of them, and that X does all the Work. And it’s not to be criticized because you missed one the first time through or the second time through, or that one has been added on lately. It is to be thankful each and every time we can throw that Light of self-observation on a dark area. And one excellent way of finding out is to attempt to make up your mind about something, anything that you want to, whatever it may be. And if you can’t make up your mind about it, you know there is a not-I that is still powerful enough that it influences I, the observer, to believe that what it says is true. There is still one there and we can throw that Light of self-observation on it and bring it to Light, can reveal that dark area and can reveal what is bringing about that limitation in being, that tormentor, that limitation that keeps us in bondage. Can you see the difference between being thankful that you have discovered one, rather than being chagrined that you have found, “Oh, my goodness, there is still one. I’ll never get anywheres.” You see, as long as there is one there it can have an effect. And we’re not saying they can all be gone in a matter of weeks. We’re saying that it is a continual action of serving X, to continually refer to being aware of the self and what’s there. And one excellent way is to find out is to see if you can make up your mind about anything. Some things you will find you can. And other things it said, “Oh, yes, but you can’t about this”. So there is still something to be thankful for. You see the person that is seeing different is thankful in all states of affairs because it is valuable. It has value to discover what is limiting. And to discover that there is still a limitation. It is not something to criticize. (To be continued next month)

A STORY: Before I knew anything about the Teachings the entire focus of my life was directed toward fixing everything so that some day I would be totally non-disturbed. I wanted the right job, relationship, bank account, house, car. I would put it all in a pretty box and tie a huge yellow bow on it. A white dove would sit on my shoulder and I would walk off into the sunset in total non-disturbance. Some would call this being dead! I now call it insanity.

When I looked around me, everyone else was operating this very same way. I didn’t know that this position was the prime illusion of all mankind. No wonder I went to sleep each night totally depressed, crying out, “God help me!” You bet I was questioning the purpose of living!

Then Life brought me the Teachings. I discovered that my whole existence was based on illusion. As long as I lived in this physical body, I was going to have disturbance from time to time. That was the fact.

So, how did I get over it? I spent many weeks working with this basic misconception that my purpose for living was to be comfortable on all levels. I wrote down all the times I resisted discomfort. Little by little I could see the insanity of it. I could accept that the discomfort was the impetus that allowed me to find and be free of my misconceptions and conditioning. Discomfort was a precious GIFT, not something to whine and complain about or try to ignore or change. It was a KEY that unlocked me from the prison of my own misconceptions.

What has happened? This new information changed my perception, which changed my behavior and therefore my state of consciousness. Beneath every discomfort there is a conditioned idea that runs my life. When I ask, “What is going on?” I can see the misconception which is removed by X.

The purpose of the Teaching material is to enable us to see clearly what is, if we do the Work….a gift beyond measure to this one.

COMMENTS FROM DR. BOB:

ASKING QUESTIONS:

Once a question is put to the mind, the mind works with the question until it discovers the answer or that the question is improperly put and therefore unanswerable. Any question that starts with a “why” when dealing with human beings is basically improperly put. One reason is that it is a basically a blaming question when asked regarding human beings. Most chronically nervous individuals are suffering with unanswerable questions spinning in the heads. Instead of searching for answers, let us search for a proper way to put the question. When we say “What,” such as “What is going on?” or “What am I doing?” The “what” asks for information, clarification or understanding. “Why” asks for blame.

AWARENESS ACCORDING TO FEELINGS INSTEAD OF PERCEPTION:

It is not important what has happened to a person, but it is valuable to see what decisions were made about what has happened. He or she will react the same way to any occasion that seems to be similar to the old one. To know about the happening does not make a correction. The valuable thing is the decision. It’s not important even to know when or where it was made…it’s operating now. When the fallacy of its operation is seen, it is gone.

If one understands self, he or she only has pity and compassion for anyone that attacks them because they realize that the person that attacks is fearful, therefore SICK. That’s why a great Teacher of Natural Low and its application to man said, “Do good for those that use you despitefully.” The person that mistreats anyone is in great need, therefore needs someone to work with them to find their misconceptions. If we have understanding enough of the ways of the self, we see the need. If a person outwardly treated a person that he hated kindly, he would disintegrate from the conflict. But if he first understood Natural Law and self, he would have only compassion for the person that was afraid. He would then treat the person kindly spontaneously.

Understanding must exist or we are struggling toward an ideal. An ideal which is always an illusion. The struggle toward an illusion is the disintegrating factor. Doing good to those who attack you requires more than merely the rule. It requires understanding is you are not to disintegrate from the effort.

PITY VS LOVE:

To the average conditioned minds, pity equals being loved. Therefore, we cling to all the unpleasant things and frequently re-hash them so that we can enjoy the self-pity and thus feel loved. Self-pity is emotional masturbation. It is also addiction because it produces a chemical (DACHA) that is highly addictive

To die to the past is to die to certain beliefs. Our sole effort is to become unconditioned. It the person tries to gain mystic experiences, we are in danger of becoming dingbats. When we are free of conditioning we are one—that is being integrated with the Spirit.

MIND TICS:

It was all so different before everything changed.

Until recently I thought I was someone I knew

My how you changed since I’ve changed.

We really never grow up. We only learn how to act in public.