A worthwhile read in the New York Times Sunday Review: Why 2017 Was the Best Year in Human History.
I’d change that to “known history” but he touches on some important points. Things are, for people the world over, getting better.
The news media focuses on the lowest common denominator – an identified ego that wants to know what’s wrong and who’s to blame. Then it can feel better about itself and confirm inner fears about the world.
However, the author says “That’s because most of the time, quite rightly, we focus on things going wrong.” The “quite rightly” is where many have it wrong. It may be the author’s job to supply content to that beast of contraction but it misses the detail that what we focus on grows stronger. What we fight and worry about, we increase.
Instead, give your attention to what is right with the world. If there are challenges, focus on solutions. Focus on what we want to increase.
Not that we should ignore world events, only that they should be held in proportion.
Of course, with an identified ego it’s natural to swing back to a focus on what’s wrong. That’s where transcendence comes in. By going beyond the mind into our essential being, we taste our universal nature and begin to expand all of our capacities.
The article also mentions a new book, ironically named “Enlightenment Now.” Ironic because it is an appeal to the 18th century philosophy of rationality, the prior intellectual enlightenment rather than the current spiritual enlightenment sweeping the globe. The book argues the success of the former approach in bringing us greatly improved quality of life. I fully agree. Without fundamental security, our attention simply isn’t available for spiritual development.
Yet once we have that stable platform, it’s time to go deeper. Nothing we’ve gained from rationality will continue past our final breath. We want to seek fulfillment past our contracted individuality. That’s where we’ll find what lasts.
“I’ve got to admit it’s getting better, A little better all the time…”
– The Beatles, Getting Better
Davidya
Last Updated on February 4, 2018 by Davidya
Yes, the lyrics reference getting better “since you’ve been mine.” This is a good example of being contracted and dependent on something outside of ourselves for happiness… still, it’s a nice theme. “Happy” gets it better with “a room without a roof,” a box that’s open to expand. 🙂
David,
Love the clarity of this. Thank you
🙂
Oh my, David, as a retired English teacher I feel it important to point out that poetic license affords anyone the opportunity to look at multiple layers of meaning in language. So when I see those lyrics, I just intuitively capitalize “since You’ve been mine,” and I see that the Self has been discovered and established in the writer’s consciousness. And then it quite naturally follows that
“it’s getting better all the time.”
Great point, TO. However, there’s something of a give away in the word Mine. Mine is possessive which isn’t typically the experience of someone awake. We don’t usually experience Self as mine. If anything it’s more like the person is possessed by the Self. 🙂
To some extent, this is the nature of English. It’s a language developed by egos. This becomes more clear when it’s compared with Sanskrit.
https://davidya.ca/2010/08/25/sanskrit-dead-or-alive/
🙂
🙂
Hi David, Great article. I think many people feel overwhelmed by the scope and pace of change these days; makes them feel very small and weak. Any time we feel our identity threatened in this way, it is natural enough to feel fear and even anger.
But as you state well, the issue isn’t with the outside. We do have the concerted ability, aided by several decades of reliable transcending, to expand the awareness of ourselves, until we now longer feel powerless and overwhelmed.
Fully recognizing all of the problems and struggles in the world, we begin to live naturally as solutions. Concretely, by taking all of this world, earthly and Divine, into consideration, and performing action throughout. Any solution literally presents itself in front of us.
Does this mean we fully transcend our humanity, into Divinity? No, we continue to learn our lessons appropriately, here on the blessed earth, only with a great deal of help and compassion, and the ability to fully participate in facets of global management, if so inclined.
Then, far from anger and feeling small, we find our rightful place in the Universe, and continue to thrive and maintain a momentum for all, forward.
Hi Jim
Yes, when we become aware of our deeper nature as the ocean, we no longer feel tossed about on the surface waves of life. The waves continue but are less of a concern.
And yes, with the expanded view, we see the problem along with its solution. Of course, this is to the degree of our clarity. And it’s always in the context of the whole. So even if the solution presents itself it may not be an instant one…
It seems, when we get to a certain point, everyone has a role in the larger context. It may not be in global management but instead may be a healing function or education, or something cosmic, or whatever.
But yeah, feeling small would no longer arise once we know ourselves as infinite and eternal. And that’s well before cosmic. 🙂
Hi David & a belated Happy New Year to you.
As still identified with the ego, I all to often, regrettably so, slip into the psychology of worry highlighted above. I have, as we all have perhaps, had sudden tragedies and painful bereavements and am so ever since on heightened alert with Reality, in that I’m sometimes bracing to get smacked by the next. It was suggested recently that I still have PTSD, but have already had lots of talking therapy, evidently to little avail.
So as still identified with this finite fella, I do focus on what he may lose next besides what he lost (I know I shouldn’t and am working on it), such is the glaring fact of attachment and transience. All this of course has been another galvanising factor in the pursuit of transcendence and why, though while you say for many it is not necessary at all, the dark night I experience can be so…well, dark.
There is even a lot of fear mongering and focusing on what’s wrong about, as there has always been I suppose, in spiritual communities.
Shunyamurti for instance, once interviewed by Rick on BATGAP, has the opposite opinion to yourself in that he’s an ‘end is nigher’, that we are at the “end of days”(direct quote) and so humanity is generally done for.
Conversely, Tom Campbell for example, also once interviewed by Rick and who I like a lot, is much more on the level with yourself in that things are very much on the up.
Apart for Tom’s VR metaphor which he uses to describe Reality, which is really a concession to those scientifically and academically orientated, Tom’s perspective would seem (from as best I can assess) to concur with much of what is written by yourself.
It would appear from the hours of listening to him (he has thousands of hours of youtube footage) that Tom has very refined perception.
https://www.youtube.com/user/twcjr44/videos?shelf_id=4&view=0&sort=dd
So how is it that you and Tom have the insight that we, here on Earth, are shifting upwards and yet people, and there are many, like the aforementioned Shunyamurti are insisting things are really going to go south soon?
And could it be to do with the ‘astrally entangled’ issue of recent posts, as opposed to divine perception?
Or, is it simply invoking the old fear psychology of ‘you’re all damned except those who get their $alvation £xclusively here’?
Hi Phil
It’s very normal for the mind to fuss. There will be things that worry it after awakening as well. What changes is that we’re no longer caught by it. This allows mind to do it’s thing and resolve rather than going on and on.
And that’s a key understanding. Thinking “shouldn’t” is just more resistance. Trying to force or suppress the mind does nothing for healing. Yet it’s often our go-to for managing trauma. We need to learn new ways of being with the mind and allowing it to resolve what worries it.
If we’re conscious enough of the dynamic we can take a step back and not be carried along by it. We can allow it to thrash away and digest the experiences, without being drawn into it. This is where culturing presence through transcendence is valuable. Recent research has indicated TM is the most effective therapy for PTSD, for example.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201601/meditation-reduces-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-symptoms
If you’re struggling with something like that, then healing would be your higher priority as we need some value of quietness to discover our deeper nature. This is quite common – some have some whoppers while others can have many, many small shadows.
Some trauma also has a lot to do with our perspective of the world. (hence the value of CBT therapy) If we’re identified with the physical world, for example, someones death is experienced almost entirely as a loss. But if we know our deeper nature and the way life flows from form to form, a death has a much smaller impact. It’s simply change rather than loss.
It’s not so much that spiritual communities focus on fear but rather it’s the people in them. (barring a fear-mongering leader) All too many of them have ineffective means that are not helping heal fear. And even those that have still have lots of practitioners working through their stuff. Some spiritual organizations are like giant karma machines.
(laughs) Well – everyone has their truths. We are in the midst of a major transition and a lot of the dregs are being brought to the surface to be seen & processed. But if you look at the bigger picture, things are getting better. And there are a remarkable number of people waking up. But that takes time to integrate and for that to be more apparent in the world. These days, what needs to be healed is more prominent.
On dark nights, my point is not to think they are necessary. But yes, for some people there are very deep shadows to be seen. We’re in a time where profound growth and healing can take place and some people have chosen to take on a difficult load to maximize their opportunity and progress. But the dynamics of shadow means we don’t see this when we’re in it. There is no light at the end of the tunnel yet. Ironically, such people often become the brightest lights at the other end.
I posted a conversation Tom had with Bruce Lipton awhile back. I’m only broadly familiar with his work but enjoy his approach.
In order to get from here to there, some transitions will need to take place. Some people are very invested in things staying as they are or even going back to an idealized past. They will struggle more with the transitions. Others will welcome the shifts.
There was a time awhile back when visionaries were concerned the transition was going to be quite nasty and may fail. But as more healing and awakening took place, the momentum shifted and they became confident all would be well. The key now is smoothness of the transition. As more heal and awaken it increases the awakeness of the whole and thus the ease and smoothness of the process.
A few people seem to have seen the earlier view and remained there. I’ve seen organizations ask all their members to leave the west coast, for example, but the disasters never came. And of course, fear can be a control dynamic used by some orgs.
Astral entanglement and we’re “the only way” may be in play too. It varies widely. The first has become more common, the second less.
I certainly don’t have all the answers but I have a good sense of where this is going and am really, really looking forward to it. (laughs) This is not to say we don’t have a lot of work to do. And it will take time.
And of course, this is from someone who has learned to deeply trust life. I’ve found it does a better job that I can and organizes for the greatest growth. If I allow that to unfold, however it shows up, I am continually surprised and delighted. It took time to get here but it was more than worth the process.
Thanks David,
The link about PTSD and TM is revealing. Healing is indeed my priority, to both culture quietness to discover deeper nature and well, to just simply heal because it needs it.
I discovered Scott Kiloby’s work recently, as too the likes of Richard Miller with PTSD (SAND has become such a powerful resource in recent years!). Essentially, the approaches boil down to the innocent-attention release process you describe. I gather it is much the same with Peter Levine’s PTSD Somatic Experiencing.
Scott’s approach on occasion wants to go into the stories, in a process called ‘mining’, but I favour your recommendation of not wanting to engage the stories, memories, thoughts and just giving the arising energy/emotion its space for release, so that if/when the stories are engaged again, they’re less loaded with charge.
Given this healing is a priority, do you have any idea how this should be balanced in day-to-day life, in respect to the ‘mind dulling’ precaution?
Would you have to do it constantly for months and years to see dulling? I mean, the healing needs to be done and there may indeed be a backlog, but good Lord, I need my wits and clarity too! Ha. 🙂
Regarding spirituality, fear and astral entanglement:
Is this where all this talk of incarnation on Earth school being a prison place comes from? Where we are all slavishly bound to ‘soul contracts’ at the hands of ‘archons’, and our true endeavour is to revoke such contracts to triumph over our slavers – these duplicitous astral slavers masquerading as Divine Beings, appearing when we die, coercing us into further incarnation, for parasitic nefarious reasons so on and so on. When we die, apparently, we’re not to go into the light – that’s the archon trap…apparently. 🙁
I come across this narrative a lot. There are a few local energy healers I’ve encountered who subscribe to this. They are lovely people, but possibly tapping into visions that are skewed. Or, perhaps simply drinking the David Icke Kool-Aid. 😉
Well…Ken Wilber has a saying that nobody is 100% wrong, nobody can just be that accurate. But, then again he’s likely making an appeal to not alienate any groups, for the sake of his Integral legacy.
Personally, haven’t a clue (shrugs shoulders, hands in the air, puzzled look), I’m at the point where I just surrender it all to the Lord/Totality. I give up. Yeah, I’m going to have to let go and learn, as you say, to deeply trust life.
Maybe archons just need some loving kindness, forgiveness sent their way. Ha. If it’s not all about love, I don’t know what it’s all for… 🙂
Hi Phil
The TM.org web site has some good PTSD material as well but they don’t make it easy to link to the research.
I’ve met Scott but have not used his approach. I’ve had very positive feedback from people who have though.
The “mind dulling” issue only comes up with a long term practice. For example, some practices are all about awareness of body sensations. That can be useful for healing and release but is less valuable for growth long term. You don’t need a bandaid when the cut has healed.
That said, we need time for digestion and integration. It’s good to spend the bulk of your day in some form of activity, then regular blocks of time for meditation and healing. If something comes up during the day and we can stop to address it, thats good. If it’s a big one, it’s good to be able to lie down afterward and rest.
There’s a huge amount of crazy noise out there. If someone starts to have some subtle perception but is still fear-identified and has firmly held concepts about reality, they’re going to be prone to experience heavier stuff and to distort it.
One example I’ve seen a few times is people not accepting that there is subtle beings and thus assumes they’re extraterrestrial. There is a huge variety of kinds of beings and they can get wildly misidentified. It doesn’t help if the being is manipulating too.
People can get caught in their own fears, living their worst imagination.
Or they adopt beliefs about things they have not experienced but which feed their unhealed stories.
Or if they are seeing them but just darker beings, that can give you a really dark perspective. Living in the slums doesn’t give you a balanced perspective on the world as a whole.
Some people do get into difficult forms of extreme entanglement but that usually only comes up as an option for people of influence. It’s a Faustian deal they have to buy into.
Really, with that stuff the main rule is don’t feed them with your attention. Then they’ll lose interest and go elsewhere. I talked more on the topic here:
https://davidya.ca/2014/05/21/on-angels-and-other-subtle-beings-part-1-of-2/
Earth is what you make of it. For some, it is a prison of their beliefs, for others a heaven.
If you engage in decent spiritual practices that take you beyond the mind, it also takes you beyond this noise and you gain a spiritual light that is unpleasant for the dark. Then it largely takes care of itself. Love works the same way.
Those comments about death are foolish. Its basically the opposite. Just keep in mind the dark feeds on the dark so they’d council to avoid the light.
Buying into dark stories feeds fear that is really counter-productive for a healer. Healer heal thyself!
Hi Phil!
I just want to say here that in Scotts approach the “mining” is not engaging in the stories. Usually “mining” is used to mine stuff out of very contracted body parts, because just noticing the contraction is often not enough to open it.
That includes stories but you do not engage in them, you let them pass. And you mine further and further into the contraction (this is done in a very gentle way) with more pictures and stories coming up until you get to the emotional charge and feel that fully and let it dissolve.
Scott calls that “the velcro effect” as the words and pictures are “velcroed” to the emotional charge and so the charge cannot be felt through. The stories are just made conscious and be noticed gentle without engaging in them. Engaging means we would hold onto…..
Once the story is made fully conscious and just noticed without engaging in it and!!!! the charge behind that story has been felt through, digested and released that complete pattern collapses and is gone forever (but there can be many layers to it). Scotts work is about dissolving and when enough is dissolved about awakening.
I highly recommend it together with Michael Browns “the presence process”.
All the best on your way!
Michael
Thanks Michael, this is greatly appreciated.
I obviously had mistaken what Scott meant in a ‘mining’ process demonstration vid. What you have outlined makes much more sense and so will investigate more. Thanks for the Michael Brown recommendation too.
Yours,
Phil
Here’s another article on TM and PTSD research
https://theuncarvedblog.com/2018/01/11/veterans-who-learn-tm-find-relief-from-ptsd-new-study-shows-symptoms-had-reduced-by-80-to-below-the-clinical-level-in-one-month/
Thanks David, much appreciated.