Life is a mixture of Light and Dark. We could not define / recognize one without the other. The advantage that Light has -- is that it is capable of spreading, reaching out, all on its own. If you are in a Dark room and open the door to a room filled with Light...the Light floods in. A room filled with Light is not going to suddenly be filled with Darkness by opening the door to a Dark room. As simple and elementary as that analogy is... it has, perhaps, greater meaning to it than what we give credit to. Some say Darkness is merely the absence of Light. Maybe... but we cannot underestimate its importance as a tool we have chosen to learn how to play this Game on Earth... how to create...how to manifest... and to REMEMBER who we really are. Creators.
Once we Awaken to a deeper meaning of Life, we realize that we DO have Free Will. We are capable of Choices...
During our journey through Life, it seems we are facing a continuous series of crossroads ... daily!... always having to decide which path to choose... the path of Light or the path of Darkness. Nicknamed: Feels Good...and... Doesn't Feel Good...We don't always know immediately which one is 'best' for us... So we just play the Game and chalk it up to Experience... Experience brings us expansion of consciousness. Since we, as Human Beings, are infused with and in both Light and Dark (Duality) and are playing this Game called Life On Earth, we will be contending with duality. It's reeeeeally nice when we start learning the Metaphysical Basics. Light makes us Feel Good. Darkness, on the other hand, comes with a kazillion 'problems.'
At some point in our evolution, we must be willing to dispense with the words "good" and "bad." In other words, we need to willingly, mentally, and spiritually learn to transcend Duality. Buddhism, especially Zen, teaches us to learn to Step Back and see it all as Illusion. I've learned that doesn't mean avoiding what is... just getting a better 'view.'
I read something very interesting yesterday. It can be really wonderful when one gets a new take on something...a slightly altered perspective that helps us to understand some of the 'old stuff' even better. In the book "Transition Now, Redefining Duality, 2012 and Beyond" ... Patricia Cori talks about the world's greatest problem as being: _Victim Mentality_. She explains how continuously viewing ourselves as victims of _whatever_ we experience in this world, is the largest stumbling block to our recognizing that we are Creators in charge of our own reality. Even the term "survivor" can present an equally large speed bump because it validates the BELIEF in Victimhood -- implying that we are simply here to SURVIVE Life... When we become willing to 'step back' and take a look at 'the world' we are seeing-- one sees the immensity of Victim Mentality everywhere!... with its constant emphasis on overcoming, the war on, the struggle, the suffering, etc etc etc ... Most of us have awakened to the fact that "The War On__" is never won ... Victimhood is truly a world-wide mindset.
Bringing it closer to home...'us' ... Just think about how often we think of ourselves as Victims...I don't mean just the obvious --the poor, piteous dirty street persons in raggedy clothes...or someone starving, withering away in a 3rd world country ... but how we think of ourselves as victims of our Government, the health care system, our education system, the banking system, our jobs, bad bosses, bad marriages or relationships, addictions, down to that price of a can of green beans!!... Look at this idea of victimhood as anything and everything that makes us feel we have to struggle, survive, overcome, defeat, tolerate, conquer, subdue, outlast, etc etc etc ...
We just hope and pray we make it from day to day, sigh, whine... always looking back at the suffering of the past,... afraid of the suffering of the future. Kinda puts us in mind of that miserable motto: Life's a bitch...and then you die..."
Much of this sorry attitude has been drilled into us from the day we were born....
(ok, almost...) "God" has had his good name drug into it by far to many being religiously convinced that GOOD Jews, Christians, and Muslims SUFFER because God loves you more if you 'fight the good fight' and then you will appreciate your "reward" better when you kick the bucket.Now. If you DO step back a bit and see all of this...it truly DOES take on a sense of cosmic humor.
I know how tempting it is to retort: Yeah, but...let's get 'realistic' here... and mayhaps there are a kazillion 'examples' with which you can prove and justify your 'case for misery and suffering.' (And yes, I know the price of canned green beans recently rose from 89 cents to $1.29....)
I am not trying to belittle anyone's problems, grief, or challenges ... but I will be the FIRST one to willingly admit that I give WAY too much time concentrating on what 'has happened' or what 'might happen'. Now, come on. First thing we need to do is "own it." Then --we can do something about it!
Abe continuously stresses how we are applauded and rewarded for putting our canoes in the river, furiously and diligently paddling upstream. The greater the struggle, the more we get patted on the back. We've been taught it's the ONLY way to 'get ahead.' Except for those rich people we hate ...
Seth says (as do other great teachers) YOU GET _more of_ WHAT YOU GIVE YOUR ATTENTION TO AND CONCENTRATE UPON... that is how we Create. That is the immutable Law of Attraction. We must also allow what we wish to Create by Letting Go of the beliefs we deep-down KNOW do not work...
When we 'fail' in spite of all our hard work --we blame ourselves. Talk about the greatest vicious circle of them all. Sometimes the command "Pay attention!" is not the best idea...if it keeps us focused on the 'reality' of 'what is' rather than what we want. Being mindful of our bad feeling thoughts and our undirected imagination is something that bears watching, however...
Karma is generally used as a cop out. I've done it. And if I can admit to it, so can you!
Karma is 'held in place' by one's belief in it and refusal to Let It Go. Two main reasons for being obsessed with Karma: One) insistance that I must 'pay' for what I have done, and Two) insistance that the OTHER guy better damn well pay for what he has done! By gum! Belief in karma as punishment may seem easier than taking responsibility and realizing that we DO Create Our Reality...we Create It All ... deliberately and intentionally... or by Default -- which means not knowing better, and /or/not examining or admitting to certain self-destructive beliefs that set up vibrations which draw unhappy things to us.
Karma can and does serve as a teacher. Just don't get it confused with some wrathful god 'up there somewhere' who is watching your every thought or move and ready to zap you... Once we recognize something we have done is "wrong" ...and we determine not to repeat it...it cancels the need for Karma. But, if we keep insisting upon Karma as an inevitable result...we will draw more and more happenings to us that will attract its presence. Like walking into that Dark Room and expecting to 'pay for it' by stumbling, falling, getting hurt, or harming something we don't 'see.'...
We get SO caught up in our dramas!...mainly because we see ourselves as 'victims who must survive' ... we DO this...if we admit to it or not.
Until our spirituality expands to the point where we can SEE what we are doing to ourselves... the Struggle and Suffering will continue. Do we really KNOW what it is like or do we really WANT to accept the term "Creator"... or will we continue to assign that to some separate-from-us ourside force...and play the victim.FEAR OF BEING WRONG is what keeps us on the old paths, leading us into those Dark Rooms... It's like always expecting the worst, instead of realizing the Dark is simply there to show us what ...in plain language...Feels Good...or doesn't Feel Good. Connected to Source...or not... If we insist that everything must be complicated and difficult...well, then we can rest assured, it is exactly what we will keep experiencing.
Life will never be without road bumps...sometimes we might even crash into a big wall...but it keeps us AWAKE...and oh MY...the more we Awaken, the faster the Recovery Time!!... Fnally we 'get it' that the Contrast is what we need to see the Light.
As we approach 2012...life will become (IMO) more testy, defining, and demanding. This newer, tougher energy is coercing us into 'making up our minds' about what we want. The Energy is truly getting faster and stronger... anyone not realizing this is still sound asleep. But! We are not. Right? Right!
IMAGINE what you want... Focus on that. Give it Your Attention. DAY DREAM!-- and do it beautifully. Be willing to look "reality" in the face and say "Screw you! Thanks for the lesson...but I am moving on to bigger and better things!"
Namaste'
Photo courtesy of Lori Parker-Gurule'
