Steven Liebowitz's Blog, page 124

The Same But Better

How often do you feel like you’ve got to know the answer (even tho you barely comprehend the question) or have got to know what to do even when you haven’t a clue? I feel that way a lot and it makes me uncomfortable. Perhaps it makes you feel that way, too. Spirit advises not to make the mistake of believing I understand what I perceive. Become as a little child it advises because little children recognize they don’t understand and so they ask.

So as a little child I ask, going within, seeking the Kingdom first, giving my perceptions over, and asking what does this mean, asking to experience it differently, with spirit instead of ego.

Easier said than done? You betcha (as Sarah P would say)!  The difficulty is I think I know or at least I’m supposed to know or should know. But as long as I think I know or feel as if I’ve got to cover up my ignorance, I won’t embarrass myself by asking. I’ve got to be that small child and give everything over, especially the experiences and things I’m most certain of.

“Resign as your own teacher for you have been badly taught,” the Course in Miracles advises. Looking around at the mixed blessing humanity has made of the planet, there’s little doubt that this is good advice. While I vacillate between ego and spirit, spending most of my time with ego, I’m not misguided, I’ve accepted no guide at all.

I need to recognize how I vacillate but not accept it and not blame myself nor feel guilty about it. Recognizing the vacillation, I can become as a little child, go within and ask mySelf what it’s all about (Alfie), and receive the answer that is already there, within, waiting for me. Bottom line, do I and perhaps you, want the problem or do we want the answer?

Anytime, anywhere

Devorah in Book One of The Covenant and The Scrolls (HQPubs.com) didn’t know about holographs. But she knew, like a holograph in which each part contains the whole, so the whole power of spirit is in every part of it and behind every bit of the illusion. This means that at any moment doing anything anywhere I can awaken to my reality as spirit and experience mySelf. And tho it is impossible not to believe what I see, it is equally impossible to see what I do not believe. Believing is seeing. Believing comes first. I see what I believe. What I see reflects my beliefs.

So I’m seeing the fertilizer plant in Texas, that had not been inspected for 28 years, blow-up and destroy an entire town. I’m seeing two immigrant boys bomb the Boston Marathon. I’m seeing the elected Congress of a so-called democracy frustrate the will of 90% of the population. I’m seeing a Presidential election won but the losers refusing to honor the results.

What I see reflects the thought system I’m using right now. What thought system am I using? Who am I identifying with right now, ego or spirit? I know, KNOW, that at any moment doing anything anywhere I can awaken to my reality as spirit and experience mySelf. But it is so difficult sometimes, isn’t it?

Meaninglessness

Have you ever felt that life is meaningless and without purpose? Just a chaotic jumble of random events, and that you better get yours while the getting’s good? This is because the ego analyzes while spirit accepts. The sense of meaning and purpose come from an appreciation of wholeness which comes only through acceptance. To analyze means to break down and separate out.  The attempt to understand totality by breaking it down is the ego’s contradictory approach to everything.  The ego believes that power, understanding and truth lie in separation, and to establish this belief it attacks wholeness and breaks everything into smaller and smaller parts.

Unaware that this belief cannot be established, the ego nonetheless proceeds to break everything down into smaller and smaller disconnected parts, our so-called ‘independent variables,’ without meaningful relationships and therefore without meaning. The ego substitutes chaos for meaning – thus our senses of meaninglessness and purposelesness, for to it separation is salvation, harmony is threat.

Focusing on error, the ego overlooks truth and makes every mistake it perceives real, especially other people’s mistakes. With characteristically circular reasoning, the ego concludes that because mistakes are real and obvious, especially yours, consistent truth is also impossible. So if consistent truth is impossible, consistent meaning and purpose are also impossible and inconsistency must be true; and so we experience life as meaningless, chaotic and without purpose.

Everything you and I experience is a witness to the thought system we have chosen; the thought system we want to be true. Do we want the thought system of ‘pure’ analysis of breaking everything down into smaller and smaller disconnect parts without meaningful relationships, or the thought system of acceptance, inclusion and appreciation of the whole? Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts?

My Dark Comforters

Only you and I can deprive ourselves of anything. Not God nor Spirit, nor the Republicans nor the Democrats. Only you and I. We are responsible. Accepting this responsibility is to begin to get our heads out of our asses, to be able to see the stars and the heavens and to fan the inner spark.

Denial of this simple fact takes many forms: fear, anger, blame, each of which you and I must become aware of, breath into and with a simple: ‘Oh, there I go again,’ release. Blaming, fearing and being angry with yourself, others or conditions, keeps us locked in the ego illusion with our heads up our asses.

The beginning phases of letting go my dark comforters of fear, anger, and blame are often quite painful, for as blame is withdrawn from without, there is a tendency to direct it within. It is difficult at first to realize that this is exactly the same thing, for as spiritual beings in a spiritual universe there is no actual distinction between within and without.

So, if other people, things and events are part of me and I blame them for my experience, I’m blaming myself. Similarly, if I’m blaming myself, I’m blaming them. This is why my dark comforters of fear, anger and blame must be undone and not seen anywhere.

When tempted to indulge these emotions and fall into the ever welcoming arms of my dark comforters, I want to become aware that I’m identifying with ego, not spirit, breath into the feelings and with a simple: ‘Oh, there I go again,’ release them. This takes lots and lots of practice, but gee whiz, daily living gives us so many opportunities, doesn’t it?

Head up my ass

How can I see the stars and the heavens if I’m always looking down? How can I see the light if I’ve always got my head up my ass? If I want to see the light, to experience spirit, I’ve got to be where spirit is. Actually, you and I are already there. Spirit has done all it can. It is within us, as us, waiting.

Now it’s up to you and me to choose it. The way is not hard but it is different and being different, uncomfortable. It is up to us not to be stopped by the discomfort and difference, not to be tempted by or settle for imaginary comforters, but to continue on the way.

But the differences and discomfort do indeed make me feel in need of familiar albeit illusory comforts. Probably you feel this, too. The Kingdom is ours within us yet we do not know it. At home in spirit we are lonely. But this need not be! If I would see the sky and stars we have but to look up. If I’m tired of the stink and the dark, it’s up to me to get my head out of my ass.

Hostage or Host?

Would I, and you, be hostage to the ego or host to spirit?

Spirit’s spark is already in us. Inviting a greater awareness of it, thinking with spirit ever so slightly, causes the spark to ignite and become an ever brighter light illuminating the ego’s darkness.

My willingness, and yours, to allow the spark to ignite need not be perfect. If we offer just a little willingness, the spark will ignite and grow ever brighter. But our willingness is essential. Spirit shares, It will not thrust Itself upon us. Real freedom depends on welcoming reality, on remembering ourSelves and allowing the spark to ignite.

Every healing thought I give and receive, every situation I perceive as an opportunity to affirm my, and your, identity as spirit fans the spark into flame. But remember, allow this to be the gradual process it is. We will not burst into flames of divine perfection all at once. But each time you and I nurture the spark and heed the still small voice, we become better and more like ourSelves.

Devorah Now Available

Available now in print on Amazon!

The Story the Bible Couldn’t Tell 175 years after Moses led Israel from Egypt, Prophetess Devorah struggles to unite her divided people. As judge, she avows the punishing God of the Scrolls. As teacher her belief in the loving God of the Covenant. As general, she leads her reluctant Israelites into war. “…evokes the spirit of the biblical age, bringing new life to old tales.” Rabbi Edwin Goldberg, D.H.L., Temple Judea “…edgy…ground breaking…read this fascinating and provocative book.” Richard Allbritton, BS, MS, MPA “…wonderful! Steve uses historical context to impart deep spiritual ideas in a very palatable way. His characters are highly believable and leap off the page.” Ilene L. Dillon, M.S.W., Coach, Parent Educator, Radio Host, Full Power Living.

Website Launched

Check out the cool new website.