Sometimes, it takes awhile..... to catch on and reeeally understand what we claim we 'know'... Perhaps our illumination of understanding was more akin to a 25 watt bulb -- instead of a 100 watt. We could still 'see' ...but not all that clearly. We are like that ... we 'see' things and agree that, yes, this is the way it should be for me ... However, there remains a good chance that we are examining the beliefs that Create Our Reality...with a 25 watt bulb. When we need that 100 watt. As we know...everything...yes, everything is "done unto us according to our beliefs."
We always have a choice. We don't "have to" see anything. We can always choose to hang onto our present, perhaps not-fully-examined beliefs. But, if we really want to know why we crash into walls or trip over stumbling blocks time and again... then Life will present us with the exact experiences we need to change our 25 watt into a 100 watt bulb so we finally "see the light" ...
If we so choose.
Its SO easy to say 'this is what I believe'...or 'that is what I believe'... Talk is easy. Talk is cheap. Sometimes what we claim we believe isn't even related to what we truly believe. The saying "bullshit talks, but money walks" is true. Actually we do pay for what we get. The price we pay for spiritual growth and expanded consciousness is generally equivalent to how much pride or ego is directing us. We 'pay' by being willing to give up 'being right' (or have to be SEEN by others as right) in order to be free of a situation. It's not always easy.
Being "free" doesn't mean we will necessarily change a situation --or--a person... It means we can be inwardly free of what caused OUR problem, our misery, and especially --our reaction-- to it. THOSE things are really the problems... and not 'situations or people.' Even when we appear to others to be 'victims'...or treated unfairly.
Having recently gone through a 'light bulb change' myself ... my 'seeing' experience was doubly reinforced when I sat and listened to a friend ramble on and on about her relationship with a friend. The 'lines' were all too familiar: "Well, SHE is going to have to change her ways if she wants me to be her friend and help her out.".."I am not going to put up with it if he refuses do this or that." "Can't she see how self-centered and self-serving she is being!" "Why can't he change and treat ME like I want him to treat me." "I'm just not going to take crap from her anymore!" etc etc etc ...
We've all been there and done that.
We may even believe we are being very reasonable, logical, justified, and 'fair' about it all, and others are 'on our side.' None of that, however, solves what amounts to their... but our problem...
I used to get a bit annoyed when the teacher Abraham would say "YOU are in charge of your own reaction...and of the way you feel" because we are so quick to want to come up with our 'yeah but's'...and all of our self-righteous justifications.
Those people are indeed self-blessed when they realize that no one else is obligated to make us happy ... no one is under contract by the universe to 'change' for us so that we can be happy... Setting ALL excuses aside as to why we think they SHOULD do that ... we are then left with "it's all up to me" ... And the somewhat ironic part is: once we recognize this, and __adopt this belief__ we find that things go better for us. Not because "they" or "it" has changed...but because we have taken back our own inner power are gaining a better understanding of HOW we Create Our Own Reality.
To walk away from a person or situation is NOT the answer....unless we first take full responsibility for 'seeing' with that 100 watt bulb what OUR problem is in the situation...the real insight as to the "why" did __I attract__ this situation or person to me., rather than believe myself to be an innocent victim.
Blaming 'the other' ...or 'the circumstances' will only invite the same exact problem into our lives, until we SEE our into our own belief system (which is at the root of what we have created.) Otherwise, we will, once again, invite a different setting, perhaps with different role players... maybe even another lifetime....until we 'get it.' The choice is always ours. If we are smart we will see what really 'empowers' us. Until we choose to believe we are Creators...rather than Blamers... what we call "God" will always remain something that is outside of us.
I can appreciate Seth's saying: "If you have nothing else to do, sit and sift through some of your beliefs if you want to recognize why your life is going as it is... if you are liking it...or not liking it."
Much of what we think of as our 'powerlessness' comes from believing we have a right to be hurt, angry, frustrated, grievous, etc. We have a 'right' to out emotions. So let them flow through us but stop and THINK...or be MINDFUL...as Buddhism would teach us: that what we CHOOSE to hold on to will manifest into our reality.
We don't 'get rid of' or 'destroy' beliefs we don't want. Everything exists. What we CAN do is focus upon and give our attention to what we WANT to believe. Our "present reality" will not change if we are stuck with the belief that it can't be changed! So, it's probably a far better idea to spend a lot more time thinking about what really DOES make us Happy... the kind of happy that is at one with peace ...the kind of peace that "Passeth All Understanding" (or logic and reason.) Real happiness is NOT about 'being right' or 'getting even' or some kind of a 'I'll show you!" attitude. That will only keep us stuck with the same problems.
As the P's say: "You are the gods/goddesses of the Universe"... In this time of hard-pressing energy, perhaps its 'time' we acted like it, eh?? OK!
It's time for us to Walk The Talk... cuz we know what a lot of 'just talk' amounts to, yup!..nothin' but bullshit.
Namaste'
Photo by Lori Parker-Gurule'
