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LIFE OF EASE AND COMFORT?
SCIENCE OF MAN LESSON 32
The general idea of so many people that have not experimented with it, but only dreamed about it is that the spiritual life is one of ease, that one attains some state or some thing. And that then all is reward from there on. But, really, the spiritual life is not a reward. It is experienced by those that have been in the spiritual life a long time that actually there is ever a greater challenge, ever a greater responsibility, from everything that one experiences, then one begins to experience a still greater challenges and greater responsibilities. And it seems that there is always a challenge that is, at least, a little beyond ones present place in the spiritual world, regardless of what one has experienced. That there is just a little more challenge than one is quite capable of handling. Because at that moment one sees where there are still things in the self that is obstructing, that is interfering with the greater and deeper experiences. And so, one doesn’t reach a plateau or a level or an exalted position and thereafter sit down and say, “I have it made”. You see, it’s not like the world when we get to retirement stage. But, many seem to think that it is like that.
SECURITY
…. the suggestion from every side is that security is the whole purpose of existence. And that one should be secure so one may retire in ones latter years. And that one can, then, have social security checks and retirement checks. And that one can have dividends and that one can have annuities coming in. And then that one can do as one pleases, can’t one? And one has then really attained success. One has a sign and a demonstration that one has, somewhat nearly, approached the ideal. But, there is still something that he didn’t take into consideration. Can he buy life? Here is the reminder. We don’t even know how to walk. We don’t know how to grow. We don’t know how to throw a ball. We don’t know how to move an arm, a leg. We don’t know how to eat. But still, all of it takes place. And if you can’t even do these little things, why be so anxious about what’s going to happen tomorrow? the next day? the next week? Where is the money coming from to get new clothes. Where is the money coming from to buy food? Have enough food today? Have enough clothes today? Ones who have not experienced faith, here is the challenge, to find out why one hasn’t experienced more faith, why one hasn’t experienced it in a greater degree. Something is obstructing it. And where is that obstruction? It is some unobserved area of the self. Some area that mammon can still get a word in say, “But look you must make arrangements so you will comfortable later. You will have to have food and you will have to have clothing. Those are essential.” And that sounds very logical. We will find out if by continually observing the self… . it takes some more acute observation. It takes more acute listening to the inner speaking that goes on all the time that we commonly call thought. It is to be heedful….. But is to observe what the obstruction is that one does not have faith at this moment.
RE-EVALUATION
…. we will re-evaluate what it means to be helpful. Now that constant suggestion comes to us that we should help all people. It is really that we will work with anyone on the level of which they want work. If they want self-improvement, give them whatever tidbits are around it. Or we might ask them questions over a period of time, so that they might be given a little crumb that falls from the table that will get them to question the whole purpose of living. Because without having questioned that the purpose of living is to be non-disturbed, that person isn’t even a student of self. Furthermore we generally want to give the great things to those that we want to help and we give it out of line. So let’s re-evaluate every suggestion we hear. Now, if one is observing self, one notices the impact of a suggestion. It is really like a physical blow. One hears it coming. It makes a sound like a bullet going through the air. One is suggested that one should be helpful. One is suggested that one should share everything…. A very great teacher said, “Do not cast your pearls before swine.” It means they will defile them, misuse them. “And then they will turn and rend you.” In other words you’re still little in the Kingdom of Heaven. You’ve still possibly have not experienced faith to any degree. And therefore do not have power. It is much to survive in the new world. Much as a baby, on arriving to the earth world from the uterine world is in a very precarious position for survival. and must be protected and somewhat defended. And it is frightened by loud noises and by sudden bright lights and all such other sudden stimuli. When one feels a suggestion coming, it’s like a noise to a little infant, because one is little in the new world. So one observes these suggestions and immediately re-evaluates. We have an aim to be aware of suggestion and to re-evaluate it. One says if you do not do so you will suffer great consequences of very dire nature.
SPIRITUAL BEING
DR. BOB GIBSON
The whole thing is that we will choose to say from now on that I am spirit having a human experience and none of these human experiences are important. Can you remember that? Think you can do that? You can play that role from now on. Nobody can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are spirit having a human experience. But if we check it out we see that we are spirit, really, and humans are on this planet to gain experience, to understand humans. One of these days you will be something other than what you are today. And maybe your chore would be to work with people invisibly. And you would understand all human experience so you wouldn’t criticize the guy. You could understand him and work with him.
When you know you are spirit having a human experience I don’t see any reason to get upset. This prevents the upset, not what to do about it. So what. It is just an experience and it really doesn’t matter. It will pass real quickly. Everything comes and goes. We can experience it freely.
FREEDOM
SCHOOL TALK #32
Today we’ll talk about experiencing freely. We are going to experience whatever is going on, it is going to be happening around us, so we might as well do it freely. To experience freely is without condemning it or justifying it, whether it pain, discomfort, unpleasant people around us or whatever the situation may be, we are experiencing whatever is happening at the moment. We might as well do it freely. If something isn’t going to suit you, experience it freely. It won’t last long. It’s going away, anyway. Always does. If you don’t experience it freely you are in a state of conflict, struggle and resistance, which is the only human problem. So nothing is a problem unless we are in a conflict about it, or unless we’re struggling with it, or unless we’re resisting it happening. So whatever is going on is happening, it’s what is. If we experience it freely it is all together different than if we are resisting it. It not only seems different, it really is different, because the situation is fed and influenced by our resistance of it. It sets up conflict, not only within, but without and it makes things go from bad to worse.
A STORY
CONSIDERATION
Consideration is an attribute of a conscious person. There is more to it than meets the eye.
Several years ago a friend had an eight-year old from Oregon as a house guest for a week. He was a neat young man and I invited them over for dinner. It was my impression that the boy was a vegetarian, so I fixed macaroni and cheese for dinner. The kid didn’t like it. He really would have preferred a hamburger.
Where did I miss it? I didn’t ask HIM what he wanted to eat. I treated him as being less than responsible. Perhaps this goes right to the heart of treating someone with consideration. When I turn this around and someone treats me as not being responsible, I don’t like it. There are many who think they know what ought to be for me. And I’m sure others don’t like it when I think I know what ought to be for them.
Many years ago Neal, my husband, was making a phone call. On his way to the phone I called out the phone number of the party he was calling. He snapped back at me. “I am capable of finding the number!” He hadn’t ask me. I volunteered this bit of information thinking I was being helpful and he felt less than responsible.
All through the Teaching material it is emphasized that one HAS TO ASK. Sounds fairly simple, doesn’t it? But it is not easy for those of us who have mountains of information and experience to share to remain quiet. But to volunteer information without being asked is a method the self uses to feel important and superior. Ye gads!
It would seem, then, that to be considerate takes considerable consideration.
I will practice……
MIND TIC
All I ask is a chance to prove that money won’t make me happy.
Due to circumstances beyond my control I am master of my fate and captain of my soul
