The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact, Part 10

Day 91

A Higher Touch

So, did you come up with some questions for your Higher Self? Did you receive some answers? Do you feel you are becoming more sensitive to higher contact? The answers will vary depending on the individual. The important thing at this point is to keep moving forward.

To move forward it is important to continue with the exercises already given as well as continue seeking new ways to break through.

In this material world we have five senses through which we perceive information. As you know, these are vision, hearing, feeling, taste and smell. Less known is that we have a higher correspondent to these in the spiritual world. The Higher Self understands our physical senses, but has a higher octave of them that It uses within its own sphere and is willing to share with you.

The higher correspondent to vision is understanding and spiritual sight, higher to hearing is discerning the still small voice or impressions from the soul. Above feeling is the ability to sense the presence of spiritual beings and forces. Corresponding to taste is the power to discern truth from error and the higher sense to smell is the power of intuition giving the seeker power of revelation and the bringing down to brain consciousness true spiritual principles.

Today we are going to concentrate on your sense of feeling. We often take our feeling sense for granted, as its presence is universal throughout the body from head to toe. Our feelings and touch allow us to verify the existence and texture of the things we see and hear. They tell us when to eat and drink, when something is wrong with the body that needs attention and many other things. Most associate our feelings with things touched in the physical world, but the higher sense of feeling is capable of ascending much higher. There are signs of this even with using the normal sense of feeling.

If someone else is available have him or her run his hand over various parts of your body while having your eyes closed. Have this person not touch you but stay just an inch or so away from actual physical contact. Can you sense the person’s presence? Most likely you can.

If no one is available do it to yourself, starting at the crown of your head and moving your hands down over various parts of your body, not touching yourself, but keeping your hands an inch or two away from the skin.

You will notice that you can feel the presence of your hands even though they do not make contact. You will notice that some parts of your body are more sensitive to feeling than others.

Now, let us expand this sense of feeling to include your higher spiritual sense and feel the presence of your own soul. Its presence is never far from you, but only obscured though the illusive veils that physical existence places between us and the spiritual realm.

For this exercise do not concentrate on seeing or hearing anything, but merely feeling the presence of your Higher Self.

Sit back in your chair, close your eyes and call out the name you have given to your Higher Self. Call out the name, sit back and for a minute or so concentrate on feeling the presence. Realize that this presence will have a high vibration, and is surrounded by a spiritual fire that reaches out and surrounds you.

Repeat this two additional times while sensing the presence and the comforting yet spiritual fire connected with it. After you call out the name for the third time focus on not only feeling the presence, but being one with it. Feel yourself merging so you become one mind and one entity. If you do this successfully it will feel very familiar, as if you have returned to your true home.

Continue this extension of your feeling for your soul for 15 minutes or so. Repeat this exercise whenever you feel so impressed.

Affirmation: “My soul and I are one.”

 

Day 92

The Voice of the Soul

So, how did you do at tuning into the spiritual sense of feeling and sensing your Higher Self? Students will receive a wide range of response on this, but all who sincerely tried this will have perceived that there are spiritual beings and forces that can be sensed if one focuses long enough to tune into them.

Today we will concentrate on the spiritual sense of hearing.

Hearing is an important sense in our physical realm. It allows us to communicate with each other face to face. We not only hear the words that are spoken, but we hear the tone of voice or the way the speech is given out. Sometimes the emphasis placed on words reveal more than the words themselves.

All of our electronics necessitates hearing for full use. We use hearing regularly with our televisions and mobile devices.

A walk amidst nature is greatly enhanced by hearing. It is pleasant to listen to the birds, the animals, crickets, the rustling of wind, a gentle rain or to be reminded of natures power in a display of thunder and lightening.

Indeed, physical hearing enhances our life experience.

If this is the case then imagine what spiritual hearing will do, for the power of the higher always exceeds that of the lower.

As stated earlier, higher spiritual hearing involves the still small voice and impression. That which we call the still small voice is itself transmitted by impression, as the seeker does not hear words in the normal sense, but instead they form in his mind in complete physical silence. We call it a voice when the impression comes clearly enough to be translatable into words.

Sometimes spiritual hearing will be so clear that exact words will form in the mind. Other times the seeker will clearly sense the impression, but will need to put it in his own words. At still other times the impression will be vague and the seeker will not be sure if his imagination is playing tricks on him or if he is really receiving something. In this case he needs to focus on paying attention.

The assignment today is to concentrate on hearing what your own soul, or Higher Self has to say to you.

First sit back and call out the name you have given to your Higher Self and repeat yesterday’s lesson of feeling the presence. Sensing the presence should come quicker this time.

Feel the presence and attempt to become one with it After you feel that you have tuned in with your feeling sense as much as possible ask it this question:

“What area of my being needs your love and healing power?”

Keep in mind that the answer could refer to your physical, emotional, mental or spiritual self.

The first time you ask this you will most likely get some type of impression, but will not be sure if it comes from your soul or your imagination. Clear your mind and ask again and then again and follow up with additional questions of your own making. As the answer by impression becomes stronger you will become more confident.

Do not be concerned if you are not confident in your answer at first. You are entering new territory and it takes time to master any skill including this one. The more you practice the greater will be your accuracy.

Affirmation: “I call out and receive an answer.”

 

Day 93

The Eyes of Understanding

The last lesson was on spiritual hearing and the assignment was to listen and hear an answer from your Higher Self on this question:

“What area of my being needs your love and healing power?”

Did you receive a clear answer on this? Probably not at first, but also remember that your first impression, however faint or even illogical, is not to be dismissed. The first impression is not always right, but it often contains clues to the real answer.

When you ask a question you must be aware of the various answers that could be given. For instance the question includes the word “healing.” Did this cause you to focus on physical healing? The seeker should realize that healing extends far beyond the physical. In fact, most physical maladies are merely a manifestation of non physical problems sending a message through the physical body.

The emotional self creates many problems though harboring a grievance or perpetuating some state of denial.

The mind can cause problems by nourishing a deceptive illusion that sends distorted energy down through the emotions and then to manifest as physical problems.

So where do you need to focus the healing powers of the soul? Should they be just on that pain in the neck, or maybe it is your reaction to the situation or the person who is a symbolic pain in the neck.

For every problem where illness or discomfort manifests there is a possible healing. Sometimes we cannot find it on our own and need a little help from a higher spiritual intelligence.

The next spiritual sense to examine is that of sight. We have already taken sight a couple steps beyond normal seeing. We have covered seeing the etheric body and the aura. We have also covered the art of seeing the Higher Self through the use of the imagination. Not many are sensitive enough to actually see the spiritual world, but many can sense the Higher Self that resides in it.

The seeker can create a vehicle for the Higher Self through the use of his imagination, but then he can take his vision to a still higher level. An important aspect of spiritual vision is understanding. Understanding comes through spiritual light that interplays between the two worlds with the result of bringing light to the mortal mind.

What most people call understanding often involves very little real understanding, but merely the learning or memorization of how something works. Understanding goes beyond the facts to seeing how the facts relate and support true principles.

Indeed Solomon spoke the truth when he advised, “with all thy getting get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7

Spiritual vision includes the art of seeing through the eyes of understanding and attempting this is the next step in connecting with your Higher Self for this higher part of yourself sees with much more understanding than you in a physical body. Your Higher Self is your personal savior, your Christ, because Its mind is linked with the entity who was Christ as well as “to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,” Heb 12:22-23

Your assignment today is to go through all the steps of contact we have discussed so far. Call out the name of the Higher Self, imagine Its presence, then feel Its presence followed by sensing impressions it has for you. Today we will go one extra step and see through the eyes of the Higher Self

Sense the presence of your Higher Self a few feet in front of you. Now feel the presence come close to you,. Stand up as if you are face to face with it. Now feel it step forward and enter your body. Next sense you and your Higher Self as being one and that you can see through It’s eyes of understanding. Using this enhanced vision examine your life from the time you were born to the present. See your life as your Higher Self sees it. Spend whatever time is confortable examining your life and see what insights come. When you are through see your Higher Self step out of your body but a lighted link joins you so Its presence is closer now than before.

Affirmation: “I see through eyes of understanding.”

 

Day 94

Discernment

So, were you able to merge with your Higher Self and look upon your life through Its eyes. Or maybe I should ask if you were able to imagine merging with it and seeing through Its eyes. Let us hope you at least made the effort.

Remember energy follows thought and the more thought you use to imagine these things the more energy is drawn to them. When enough energy is available you will have created an actual vehicle in which your Higher Self can manifest. Of course, there are degrees of manifestation and the higher the intensity of thought the greater will be your power to be one with your Higher Self and share in Its understanding.

Did you attempt to look upon your life through the eyes of your Higher Self? If you did this successfully it would have been like a life review – not as complete as you will receive after death, but a foreshadowing of it. A life review done here in the midst of life is quite valuable as you still have time to use the knowledge and make corrections.

Socrates said that “an unexamined life is not worth living.” Therefore, let us attempt to examine ourselves frequently and learn from the lessons life has for us.

The next sense to consider is that of taste. Its higher correspondence is that of discernment. The wise use discernment to see the difference between truth and error, good and evil and other dualities. He correctly sees the dualities and the zero point between and discerns which side of the duality takes us toward the dominating good and why this is the case.

Many used their material filters and see the dualities upside down from their true condition.

Isaiah spoke of this when he complained that peopled called “evil good, and good evil; they put darkness for light, and light for darkness; and put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isa 5:20 The scriptures further say: “There is none that doeth good, no not one.” (Psalms 14:3)

The ancient sages thus complained that people get things backwards to the extent that they cannot tell what is good and what is evil. They are so incompetent at this that none were said to even know how to do that which is the true good.

It is unlikely the prophets were speaking of some of the basics such as lying or stealing which most acknowledge to be evil, but were looking at the big picture. When one puts all the pieces together are we seeing the true good or the true evil?

For instance, Hitler spoke of many virtues that most would call good, but the whole picture he put together was not so good, yet accepted by most of the German people at the time.

We have the same problem today, Leaders on both sides of issues speak of virtues that most consider good, yet if the whole agenda is discerned we may find that this person could lead us to destruction.

True discernment doesn’t just look at individual parts or ingredients of a plan or goal, but closely examines the whole thing to determine its worth.

Without the help of the soul the seeker will make errors in discernment and sometimes will examine that which is good and call it evil and look at evil and call it good. Not everything that sounds good on the surface is good and many things that are called evil belong to the higher path.

The biggest problem we have today with bad discernment are the powerful political divisions we see developing throughout the world. Both sides are pointing fingers, calling each other evil and those looking for the true good are rare.

There is good to be discerned on the liberal side and the conservative and true union is to be found when all the good is discerned and synthesized into a working while.

Your assignment today is to call upon your soul and look through Its mind at the main political side you least support and find three things that are good within the belief system.

Affirmation: “I will look anew and find that which is good.”

 

Day 95

Accessing the Invisible

Your assignment was to examine the political side you least support and find three good things in it. The two main political divisions are the conservative and the liberal. If you normally side with the liberals you should have looked for good within the conservatives and if you normally side with the conservatives you needed to look for good within the liberal view.

How did it go? Were you able to find three good things or did you conclude that at this juncture the other party is so far off that there is nothing good to be found in them?

Those who arrived at this conclusion need to take another look, not through the eyes of the personality, but through the soul.

We must realize that no party is 100% liberal or conservative but the major parties in the various countries always lean one way or the other.

That said, I will name three positive things from each side. See if they are in harmony with what you came up with. Keep in mind you may have named some good ones not on my list.

Good things about conservatives.

(1) Things that have been proven as positive for society need to be conserved. For instance, respect for just law and order helps keep a society intact and healthy.

(2) Conservatives tend to reject bad ideas for liberal change causing the change that does occur to be more effective.

(3) They place needed emphasis on being fiscally responsible, something needed when we are $20 trillion in debt.

Good things about liberals.

(1) There are many things that need changed for the better and liberals are always putting forth their ideas for change. They keep us from resting on the status quo.

(2) Liberals, as a whole, are more creative than conservatives and provide us with stimulating entertainment.

(3) Sometimes (not always) rules need to be broken and liberals are more willing to take a chance and do this when needed.

For most it is much easier to point fingers and condemn the other side, but many of the flaws the two sides see in each other are found in both of them. Unfortunately, many ideologues are so polarized that they can find little if any good in those with opposing political views. This should not be the attitude of the seeker of truth for in the higher realms of Spirit good is seen in all who have any desire to do what is right.

Politics is where discernment is most needed in the world today, but there are many other areas where the seeker can practice this ability.

Now let us move on to the fifth sense, that of smell. The higher correspondence of this is the intuition.

Smell is an amazing sense when you think of it. When you smell a flower from about foot away can you imagine the small number of particles that enter through your nose to create the smell? Or someone could be cooking bacon 100 feet away and yet enough tiny molecules enter your nose arouse your hunger.

Then when we consider that a dog’s sense of smell is, on the average, 40 times that of a human one can only stand in awe at this marvelous sense.

Just as the sense of smell can seemingly pick up information out of thin air from nothing visible the intuition can reach into the invisible realm of Spirit and retrieve information and principles.

Just as it was difficult for humanity to figure out how the sense of smell works many humans do not understand intuition. Many confuse it with a gut feeling or with clever reasoning ability of the mind. Intuition, as your Higher Self understands it, is much more than this. If the seeker taps into the intuition he accesses a spiritual Internet where all true principles can be understood.

We’ll talk more about the intuition in the next lesson but for your assignment sit back, closed our eyes and focus your attention in your forehead, the seat of the your intuitive powers. In the center of your forehead see a growing ball of light and then in the midst of that light see a friend or family member who has political views different than your own. See him as a brother or sister struggling to find his way in life just as you are. See him as having a Higher Self just as you do. See that your Higher Self loves this person’s Higher Self and sense the love connecting you with him.

Affirmation: “I will access the intuitive powers of the Spirit.”

 

Day 96

Accessing Intuition

Just as the sense of smell brings to the attention of brain consciousness scents by invisible and almost miraculous means, the intuition accesses a higher plane, perceives the invisible and brings it to our awareness.

The power of the intuition must be accessed through the medium of the Higher Self. The highest we can access on our own is the higher part of our minds. The higher part of the mind can access the soul and the soul can access the higher planes. The goal of the seeker is thus to become one with the soul which will give him continual access to the intuitive plane.

The intuition gives the seeker access to the plane wherein ideas originate. These ideas are founded on true principles which are clearly seen through the eyes of the soul accessing intuition.

Ideas exist on two levels here on the earth plane. Most of what we call ideas are merely formed by the mind making various associations of thought. Thought one plus thought two equals thought three, often seen as an idea.

An idea brought down by the intuition is more of a revelation than a deduction. In bringing down an idea through the intuition the seeker may use some associated thoughts but the revelation will be more than 1+1=2 type of thinking. The idea will come in a flash and will be beyond the power of the mind alone to produce.

The intuition may also verify ideas and principles already taught here on the material plane. It doesn’t create a fiery confirmation as sometimes happens in spiritual experiences. Instead it just turns on an inner light giving the seeker a knowing and understanding about the principle or idea involved.

I have often written that the language of the soul is the language of principles. A principle can reveal a thousand facts, but it may take a thousand facts to relate the fullness of a principle to the average mind.

When the seeker accesses the power of the intuition through the soul he can sometimes grasp a picture of truth in an instant that may take a book to explain if he were to write it.

There is no single exercise that can be given that will cause the seeker to make a breakthrough in accessing intuition. What he must do is to seek additional soul contact and as he progresses toward a fullness the intuition will naturally develop.

For the assignment today I will give an affirmation on which to contemplate. Within the depth of these words are potential intuitive flashes that can reveal true principles. No great revelation may come today, but if the seeker continues all knowledge of truth will be his. It will come in its own time.

Affirmation: “God is the one and the many. The many who become one see God.”

 

Day 97

The Master Mind

Hopefully you placed some attention on the intuition as brought up in the last lesson. There is no easy way to teach it. Getting hold of it with the mind is like trying to grab a dust particle floating in a beam of light shining through a window. The harder you try the faster it moves away from you.

The seeker can take heart though that when he successfully treads the path and follows the step by step approach to soul contact that the intuition will be naturally enhanced. When he is finally one with the Higher Self he can access the same intuitive knowledge that It does.

The Higher Self has many powers that are not normally accessed by regular humanity, but can be. It has great creative powers and used these powers to assist in creating your body and then projecting a fragment of its consciousness into it. That fragment is you. Some time after your death you will reunite with your Higher Self and it will be like awakening from a dream. Then later on you will dream again.

The Higher Self is capable of placing several fragments of itself on earth at one time. Normally, it just has one fragment on the earth, but there could be two of you if it fulfilled some purposed. This has been verified by the late Michael Newton, who through regressive techniques took thousands of people back to their life between lives and received very consistent accounts.

The fact that your Higher Self can project more than one fragment of itself on the earth plane at one time is valuable information to have. Seekers utilized this knowledge when they named their Higher Self and then imagined its presence. Just as your body is a vehicle for a fragment so are thoughtforms created by your mind. If you place enough energy into visualizing your Higher Self then a body of mental matter will be created as a vehicle for It to use. Because thought matter is more refined than physical matter It can communicate through it with less distortion.

One of the ways the soul can manifest a greater portion of itself to us is through the use of the Master Mind. The Master Mind idea was made popular by Napoleon Hill. He discovered there was great power in its application but didn’t seem to be aware of why this was so, but did realize that some divine power was at work.

Hill defined the Master Mind as a “coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.”

He discovered that two or more people working in harmony toward a goal seemed to draw to themselves, not only more power than they have as individuals, but that the whole was equal to more than the sum of the parts.

He found that individuals in a united group had an almost supernatural ability to access each others talents, mind power and more. The larger the number that was united the more potent the group became.

The reason the Master Mind works is because souls in the spiritual world can see eye to eye much more effectively than do people on the earth plane. When two or more unite with a positive purpose they are following the path of the soul and bring down additional soul energy that can be felt and accessed by two or more people here.

The union of souls through a Master Mind is one of the most effective ways to increase soul presence that can be accessed and used by the seeker.

Your assignment today is to first pick a goal that you would like to see accomplished. Next reflect on all the people you know and pick two or three that would most likely support you in reaching this goal. It is advantageous to have them within the range of physical contact, but not essential.

Next imagine that they are standing in front of you, willing to assist you. After this tell them either vocally or with your thoughts what your goal is and ask for their support,  advice and help in achieving it.

Now look at them and imagine what response they give to you. If you succeed in doing this with soul energy the advice you sense will be in harmony with your soul.

Spend as much time as is confortable imagining interplay with your Master Mind group.

Affirmation: “I join with other souls and enter into greater life.”

 

Day 98

Extending the Master Mind

How’d the last lesson go? Did you visualize your friends in your Master Mind group? Were you able to see any of them in the flesh? There’s nothing like s haring thoughts in person.

Actually all people use the power of the Master Mind to a degree through their relationships with their innermost circle of friends, which would include the spouse. Normally when a person gets an idea, or considers a new goal the first thing he will do is visit one or two close associates and share thoughts with them so see what they think. Usually they will have some advice and input. Once received the guy will often alter some of his planning making his ideas more practical.

Just discussing with friends brings down more soul energy, but the interplay seems so natural that the principle involved is overlooked and only a small portion of the possible potency is achieved.

Once the seeker realizes how group cooperation can manifest additional soul energy and intelligence he can create a Master Mind and take his thinking to new levels.

Napoleon Hill wrote about how many successful people created a Master Mind composed of people in their enterprise. By holding meetings with them they were able to draw down intelligence that surpassed any of them individually.

Then he tells he interesting story of how he took this to a higher level in his own life. He decided to create a Master Mind group of famous people, even some who were dead, by using his own imagination. There were nine people in his group which were, “Emerson, Paine, Edison, Darwin, Lincoln, Burbank, Napoleon, Ford, and Carnegie.”

He imagined their presence as a council and used them for advice as well as incorporating their positive qualities into his life.

As time passed they became so real that he became concerned and decided to discontinue the idea. Then something quite unusual happened.

He was awakened in the middle of the night by none other than a visage of Abraham Lincoln standing beside his bed. He heard him say these words:

“The world will soon need your services. It is about to undergo a period of chaos which will cause men and women to lose faith, and become panic stricken. Go ahead with your work and complete your philosophy. That is your mission in life. If you neglect it, for any cause whatsoever, you will be reduced to a primal state, and be compelled to retrace the cycles through which you have passed during thousands of years.”

This startled him and he immediately resumed his Master Mind group and continued to develop his philosophy. In fact he expanded his group to include more than fifty famous people more, among them were Christ, St. Paul, Galileo, Copernicus, Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Homer, Voltaire, Bruno, Spinoza, Drummond, Kant, Schopenhauer, Newton, Confucius, Elbert Hubbard, Brann, Ingersol, Wilson, and William James.

In the end, I am sure that Lincoln was proud of Mr. Hill for he wrote many books that inspired millions, including myself.

Napoleon Hill realized that the Master Mind group had supernatural powers that somehow originated through Divine Intelligence, but was not clear on how it worked. He just knew that it achieved results.

Understanding how it works will give the seeker more power to use the principles involved.

The Master Mind works through the individual focusing on the higher mind and linking with his Higher Self. The Higher Self then has power to send a fragment of consciousness into any thoughtform you create.

What is interesting is that your soul can access the consciousness of any other soul, living or dead. This was why Hill’s Lincoln was so real. His Higher Self accessed the consciousness of the real Lincoln which allowed him to interplay with an image that manifested the personality and intelligence of the real Lincoln as he existed in the 1860’s.

Today’s assignment is optional. While you should have a Master Mind group of at least several close friends and associates, an imaginary group of famous people from the past is optional. If you do decide to create such a group it will require considerable effort and time, but the benefits could be quite amazing.

Whether you make the effort or not at least think of three famous people that you admire. Bring one or more of these into your consciousness now and then and consider what advice they would have for you or what they would do in your situation.

Continue working with your Master Mind of living associates, both in person when possible, and by using your imagination.

Affirmation: “I am never alone for all souls are linked as one great life.”

 

Day 99

The Sixth Sense

We have covered the correspondences to the five acknowledged senses, but there is a sixth one, and it is not ESP.

What is called ESP is not connected to the physical senses but belong to the astral body or higher correspondence to them in the soul that we have recently covered to some degree.

A sixth sense related to the physical body is a sense of balance. This is a very important one for without it you could not even stand upright or walk. We witness many people who have highly developed this sense such a surfers, tight rope walkers, and mountain climbers. All who excel at sports have a well developed sense of balance and all of us use this to some degree.

So, what would be the higher correspondence to balance? How would this manifest through the Higher Self?

This sixth sense manifests in a wonderful way in the kingdom of the soul. The Higher Self puts reality in is proper perspective so it maintains a balance of spiritual energies giving it a powerful sense of peace. The “peace that passes all understanding” is the sixth sense of the soul.

The correspondence is interesting. When a person feels out of balance or out of sorts he also does not feel at peace. When we extend our sense of balance to giving the right amount if attention to the essentials of life and balancing them with the inward sense of right and wrong we then can be at some degree of peace with ourselves. If the person neglects his family, friends and spiritual values for material success he will be out of balance and not have that peace that every life desires.

The peace of the soul is on a higher level than regular peace as seen by average humanity. Even most of them who live a fairly balanced life will discover that they are lacking the flow of spiritual energies to counterbalance the excess of material ones that we have on the earth plane.

It is impossible to achieve the peace of the soul on our own. To do this the seeker must seek contact and then share in this balancing of all the energies that are accessed.

One sign that a person has achieved soul contact will be that he will have experienced a transcendent peace that goes beyond anything related to the material world.

The assignment today is to first assess your present state of peace. Sit back, close your eyes, spend a while just sensing your state of mind and then ask: “Is there anything that prevents me from having perfect peace?”

As you contemplate you may realize that there are several things that are in the way such as some residual guilt, a grievance, worry or just being too caught up in daily problems.

This course has covered guilt and grievances. If they are still a problem then review those lessons dealing with them. Other distractions will be drowned out if the seeker can access the peace of the soul. Use the following affirmation and quietly mediate on it, expecting results.

“I invite the higher presence of my soul to come into my heart and mind and share the peace that passes all understanding.”

 

Day 100

The Seventh Sense

So you thought that there were just five senses here on the material plane, but were presented with a sixth which was balance. When you thought about it, it did indeed seem to qualify for a sense. You probably did not expect another sense to be presented, but should not be surprised, as all creation manifests in sevens.

The seventh sense is timing and is related to the brain which is linked to the mind and heart.

A sense of timing manifests in many different places of our lives. This good sense often separates the nerds from the popular ones in school. The nerd may have developed the part of his brain that allows him to get good grades, but may lack the sense of timing had by the popular kid just getting by with Cs.

Timing isn’t the same as what is commonly called emotional intelligence, but is enhanced by it. The guy with good timing gets the girl because he initiates a series of events that work in his favor. The guy with bad timing approaches at the wrong time, says the wrong thing and reacts in a way that makes others cringe.

We see that the sense of vision is different for each individual. Some require glasses and others do not. Of those who require glasses many different prescriptions are needed. A sense of timing is like that. Some have a good sense for it and others need timing glasses to make up for a deficiency in that sense.

Let us say you are at a party and you observe a group of six having a conversation about football. Four of them are really into the game and their conversation seems to fit in. The fifth guy doesn’t follow the game much, but has a good sense of timing so he just nods his head and asks a few questions at the appropriate time.

The sixth guy also doesn’t follow the game but has a bad sense of timing. Out of the blue he wants to talk about computers. Now this may have been entirely appropriate with another group in another time, but in this case the rest look at him as an odd and unwanted character while the expression on their faces says, “Where did this guy come from?”

The sense of timing manifests in many aeas of our lives. When you were a kid you learned to time just the right moment to ask a favor of your parents, or maybe just the right moment to cry or throw a fit to get what you want. During the teenage years most concentrate on good timing in relationships and seeking popularity.

Later when seeking employment you use a sense of timing to select your career, and in your work you use good timing to get ahead and fit in.

Timing is related to cycles. There are cycles where the door of opportunity is open and others where it is closed. The one with a good sense of timing has a natural grasp of numerous cycles in life and instinctively knows when the opportunity is there and when it is not.

The question that now arises is what is the higher correspondence of this sense and how does it manifest through the soul? The assignment today is to contemplate this question along with this affirmation: “I see the cycles of opportunity through the eyes of my soul.”

 

Day 101

A Divine Power

The last assignment asked the question of how the seventh sense of timing manifests through the soul. This is manifest through the power of judgment.

Now judgment has gotten a bad rap because of this scripture:

“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Matt 7:1-5

Here Jesus is NOT telling us that we cannot judge, but is instead warning us of the law of karma if we judge harshly or incorrectly, for he says: “with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Therefore, if you judge someone with minor faults to have major faults, this harsh judgment will come back to haunt you.

In this scripture He gives the key for righteous judgment: “first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” In other words, concentrate on eliminating your own faults first, and then you will be able to make a correct judgment as to how to help your brother (or sister).

Here is another scripture illustrating even more clearly that Jesus was talking about the law of karma:

“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:36-38

Here He is simply saying that if we judge rashly, condemning our brother and not forgiving him, we will reap what we have sown and find condemnation coming back to us. Jesus gives us a guide in using the power of judgment correctly:

“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” John 5:30

As we seek to become one with God and follow His will, then the beam clogging our vision will be removed and our judgment will also be just. Here is an interesting scripture where Jesus actually tells us to judge:

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” John 7:24

Judge with clarity wisdom and love, and when you do this and later judged, as you have judged, all will be well with you, but if you do not judge righteously, then the law of karma will bring painful judgments to your door.

Finally Jesus tells his twelve apostles that they shall be judges:

“And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” Matt 19:28

When you think of it, it is silly to say we should not judge. As soon as you wake in the morning you make a judgment as to whether to get up or sleep a while longer. When you get in the shower you make a judgment as to when you are clean enough to get out. When you eat breakfast you make a judgment as to what you will have and how much.

When you drive to work and are a little late you make a judgment as to whether you are going to speed or not. Finally you get to work and meet the new guy who was just hired. He wants to be your best friend and now you make a judgment on whether or not you want this type of personality in your life. Then your boss wants you to dig up some dirt on the boss above him. You judge your boss to be wrong and refuse.

We could go on and on here, but hopefully we get the point. Judgments are not wrong. Only wrong judgments are wrong. Every quality and ability has a positive and negative side to it. When the Bible and A Course in Miracles talks about judgment in a negative light, they are talking about negative, limiting judgments.

Example: The child received some bad grades in school and tells the parent he is going to do better next time. The parent responds: “You’ve failed miserably in the past, so you’re going to fail again.” This is a cruel and limiting judgment.

A positive judgment would be something like this: “I have seen you make progress in the past when you make an effort and I do believe you have it in you to dramatically improve your grades.” Here the parent made a judgment on the positive possibilities of the child, and in this case judgment is a good thing.

Like all other qualities judgment manifests in a duality. Limiting judgments are negative and should be avoided. Positive and constructive judgments can be very good and uplifting. The seeker needs to avoid judgments that limit, condemn, belittle and emphasize the flaws of others.

Good judgment is spoken of as a divine quality throughout the scriptures. Many times we are told that Christ and God are righteous judges and this power will be given to those who overcome. It is written:

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them.” Rev 20:4

The assignment today is to contemplate how judgment is used in this world and then how it may be used by the Higher Self in the world of Spirit. How does the soul use this seventh sense and how can we benefit from its judgments?

Affirmation: “I see the way and, make a judgment and take my next step.”

 

Day 102

The Eyes of the Soul

The assignment was to contemplate the difference in the use of judgment between the higher and lower self, or perhaps we should say the material and the spiritual world.

In this world a large part of the focus of judgment is on the negative aspect and this focus is so strong and prevalent that many on the spiritual path have seen judgments as some thing altogether bad and have just flat out condemned it. But as we pointed out in the last lesson there is a positive side to judgment. Judgment and decision go and in hand. Who would ever say that we should cease making decisions? No one. Ye before any wise decision is made the power of judgment must be called into play.

The positive aspect of judgment is so powerful that it is is often associated with the wisdom of God and divine power.

Unfortunately, the negative aspect is the opposite and associated with destructive thinking.

In this world we see too much of the negative aspect with humans first judging and then being overly critical of their fellow men and women. Also, the inflated ego judges through a veil of illusion and sees his importance as being elevated above others. The ego may not admit it but but sees itself as superior to others and judges others to be inferior in every possible way.

In the world of souls the Higher Self does not use negative judgment at all, but only uses the positive aspect. It does not think in terms of interior of superior, even though some souls are further along the path than others. It sees all life as being linked together and being interdependent.

Your soul knows your complete history and planned your course in life and the major lessons you were to learn before you were born. It made these plans while linked to Divine Intelligence and made many judgments about how your life could proceed so you could obtain maximum benefit from each fork in the road.

Your soul never approaches you from the aspect of condemning judgment but always seeks to help and even sees your mistakes as learning experiences. Every judgment hat It attempts to send to you is one that will help you to advance into the light and fill your heart with joy.

The important thing for the seeker to do is to tune in to the world of Spirit, access the mind of his Higher Self and make judgments from Its level of vision.

Thus your assignment today is to sit back, imagine the presence of your Higher Self manifesting and seeing though Its eyes as to the what lies in the path ahead for you. Also look through Its eyes at your friends and associates and see them using only positive judgment. See the Christ in even the most difficult people.

Affirmation: “My judgments are one with my soul and only the path of joy do I tread.”

Copyright by J J Dewey

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The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact, Part 9

Day 81

Shutting the door

Let us start again by repeating the seed thought:

“From the centre which we call the race of men

“Let the Plan of Love and Light work out.

“And may it seal the door where evil dwells.”

The focus now is on bringing greater light to the last line which asks to “seal the door where evil dwells.”

Djwhal Khul who wrote this explained that the evil of concern here is not the standard group of evils seen by most, such as greed, pride, robbery, plunder etc. Certain abuses will be with us in some degree for some time to come. What concerned him was an evil that would affect us all by taking away our basic freedom of thought and action. This was a door opened by Hitler and his associates. If they had won the war the world would be much different and enlightened teachings would not be allowed to be circulated.

The door to this evil of suppression had to be shut and the Allied victory in World War II almost did it. Since then a number of forces in the world have pushed it partially open such as the Totalitarian threat from the old Soviet union, The present threat from North Korea and extreme Muslim factions who want to impose their will upon the world. The rising generation will have their hands full in shutting that door so freedom in the world can continue to grow and flourish into a new age of light and truth.

Even though the evil that concerned Djwhal Khul was a particularly dangerous and sinister one, like any inspired writing the interpretation can be applied on several levels. We as individuals can open a door to both good and evil into our lives. Which door we open depends on what type of food for thought we allow to enter into our mind and thinking.

If the focus is to the extreme toward material possessions then the tendency may be toward deception, unfair practices and even robbery to get what is wanted.

If the focus is on the spiritual side, such as love, wisdom and compassion then the tendency will be toward service for fellow humans.

No matter what door of evil we may have to deal with the stanza gives the key to closing the door which is “the Plan of Love and Light.”

We may not know all the ingredients of the Plan, but we do have some grasp of what love and light is. Almost all the harm that one human does to another is from a lack of love. If he could feel the pain he is inflicting on another then he just wouldn’t do it. Loving our brother as ourselves causes us to feel what it is like to be in his shoes and thus treat him civilly.

When a person harms another he does his best to remain in the dark. The thief or murderer, for instance hides his identity. If the person with harmful intentions always had all his actions exposed to the light then he would rarely do them.

Thus we see that love and light shut the door to evil so it cannot fully manifest. If all the people of goodwill did their part then neither a greater or lesser door to evil could remain open.

Now, let us move to the last line of the Great Invocation:

“Let Light and Love and power restore the Plan on Earth.”

Just think of the Plan as “peace on earth, goodwill to men” – and of course women.

Ask yourself how you can do your part and contribute to light and love? And where does power enter in and what is its source?

Affirmation: “I am linked to a source of light and love and power.”

 

Day 82

Light and Love and Power

The seed thought:

“Let Light and Love and power restore the Plan on Earth.”

Students often overlook the word “restore” in this line. If the Plan is to be restored this means that it was once here and moving forward. On the other hand, the fact that the Plan was once here does not mean that the Plan was ever consummated.

In other words, the Plan and the results or finishing of the Plan are two different things.

The Plan is like a blueprint for a house, but it is not the house. In this case if you have the plan you have the blueprint and know what to do to go forward with the creation process.

This line therefore tells us that humanity once had the correct Plan and was moving forward with it, but apparently something happened to obscure or frustrate it, maybe something that is symbolized by the fall and being cast out of the Garden of Eden.

So the work of disciples for some time has not been to implement the Plan, but to uncover it. Then when the Plan is revealed and understood real and efficient progress can be made.

Interesting thought is it not?

And consider, all this came from contemplating the one word, “restore.”

When interpreting any text the seeker must not overlook any word. Often an authority will quote a sacred text and explain it and miss a key phrase or word – as if it does not exist. Those words that are ignored by the many often come full of meaning to those who have eyes to see.

So, we want the Plan restored so we can have a lighted way and no longer be groping in the dark. What then will restore the Plan?

The answer given is Light and Love and Power. And previously we discovered that these three energies must work through humanity itself in order to make this happen.

We see that a Plan exists, but is obscured and the first step in making it visible to humanity is Light. We can’t just sit around waiting for God to send us light, but light must come from us. Each of us must do our part.

We all have some desire for more light and understanding. It is our duty to seek and expand that light until each of us is an expanding point of light. Then as the light within does expand it is our duty to share that light with others. When the light that is in humanity is great enough we will have the united vision to be able to see the Plan when it does manifest.

The second ingredient is love. If we fear the Plan of God then we will not want to see it, but if we love words of truth and have faith that we will love that which out Heavenly Parent has in store for us then both light and love will move us forward toward – seeing and understanding the Plan.

Since “God is Love” we can assume that the Plan will be interwoven with love and that loving our brother and humanity itself will do much to manifest the Plan.

The final ingredient is “Power.” What part does this play? Many there are who seek greater light and love to serve, but lack the power. The cares of the world take so much if their attention that the light and love in them almost becomes dormant.

The seeker, as well as humanity itself, must acquire enough power to free up the light and love which is essential to reveal our next step as well as attract us toward it.

Sources of power are many and none should be discounted. They include power from the soul within, power from helping hands and power from money that can free the hands of a working disciple.

That finishes the use of The Great Invocation as a source of seed thoughts. We have just skimmed the surface of what could be revealed. Each seeker should memorize this and say it regularly and as he does he should contemplate the words for additional light. You never know what your soul will reveal to you.

For today’s assignment we’ll add one more seed thought. It is a simple one but full of meaning:

“I am the Path.”

Think on this and see what comes to you.

Affirmation: “I embrace the Plan of Light and Love.”

 

Day 83

Understanding the Path

The seed thought for the day was a short one, but sometimes a few words lead to much knowledge and understanding.

“I am the Path.”

Were you able to figure out some questions to ask about this? Were you able to expand on meaning?

Perhaps the most obvious question to come up in the minds of seekers is, “What do you mean that I am the path? Isn’t the path something separate from myself that I follow?”

If this was your first question then perhaps you need to ask another question:

“What is the Path?”

Notice that the word “Path” is capitalized as are words related to Deity? Why do you suppose this is?

The answer is that the Path is a link between us and God and when clearly seen we discover that the distance between the two is illusion. In reality then there is no Path as the term is commonly understood. The Path home in a sense is not needed because the real part of ourselves has never left and we are already there.

Looking for the path is a little like being asleep and looking for a path to find your waking self. Since the dream was created by you then you would find that your very thoughts are the Path. You just follow your thoughts to the end of the dream and then you awake. The path then can be whatever you make it for when you are finished with the illusion you will merely wake.

To discover what a separation from our true home would be like we projected a fragment of ourselves into the worlds of form which are created on the principle of illusion.

Jesus said that He and God were one and told us that we should see ourselves this way also. If, therefore, the Path to God is made by God, it is also made by you. As long as we are in the world let us create wonderful path – one that leads to love, peace, joy ad happiness. That is what is at the end of the dream, and when this becomes a part of our own creation you will wake up to a higher reality.

Don’t worry if you did not get the same insights on this thought as I did for there are many to be gleamed and it is quite possible you may come up with something different, yet helpful for yourself.

We’ll do one more seed thought and then move on to other material.

“My soul, or Higher Self, is light which is reflected on to my mind. I can see it if I look.”

 

 

Day 84

The Revealing Light

Here is today’s seed thought:

“My soul, or Higher Self, is light which is reflected on to my mind. I can see it if I look.”

There are a lot of questions that you could have asked yourself around this thought. I hope you found a few and contemplated on the answers.

A key word on which to place attention here is “light.” It would be advantageous to reflect on this before going further.

When the average person thinks of light he thinks of the world around him and how it is illuminated. The most obvious light is that of the Sun which lights up the world and allows us to see the beauties of this planet we call Earth.

Until recently any significant light by night was inadequately created by a burning fire such as a candle or torch. Now in the modern era the earth is lit up at night through electrical lighting. Nighttime pictures from space reveal a tremendous amount of light on the dark side of the planet. If we had similar pictures from a couple centuries ago the night side of the planet would have been totally dark, as it was for thousands of years before electric lighting.

Light is basically that which reveals, and to reveal, contrast is needed. Before the Sun’s light reaches us it travels through 93 million miles of space in which nothing is revealed because there is no contrast until the Sun’s rays strike contrasting forms here. It is interesting to consider that an astronaut in space can look in space that is being bathed with the Sun’s rays yet he sees no light at all, but only blackness and stars.

Light does not reveal until there is something with contrast that can be revealed.

Science has discovered that the frequencies of light that are in the visible spectrum are just a small portion of what is out there.

Vibrating with a lower frequency are infrared light, microwaves, radio waves and others. At a higher frequency we have ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays.

The range of light belonging to the physical plane is marvelous indeed, but there are still higher types of light on higher planes.

In the higher plane wherein resides the soul is a kingdom permeated by a light of a different nature. In addition to revealing all that regular sunlight does, it stimulates understanding. Understanding increases as the light of the soul shines on the mind and is captured by the consciousness of the individual involved.

Understanding is not usually associated with light, but when reflected upon the seeker will discover that the link is very strong. When the mind receives the higher light of the soul and the consciousness pays attention understanding is greatly enhanced.

Remember light is that which reveals. When sunlight shines on an apple we may see its form. When the inner sun of the soul shines on the mind the seeker may see or understand an idea and how to apply it.

The principle of revealing is the same for the two lights; it is just that they reveal different things.

Your Higher Self is linked to still Higher Lives which are linked to God and can channel to you all the light and understanding that you are willing and able to handle.

The mind is the key to receiving the higher light and the heart is the key to fully understanding and applying what is revealed.

All these instruments are of little value if we do not look. The last words of the seed thought needs to be applied:

“I can see it (higher light) if I look.”

Your assignment today is to focus on looking within for the higher light. Review all the seed thoughts given so far at your disposal and see what additional light and understanding will come.

Tomorrow we will direct the course toward contacting your Higher Self. We will leave the seed thoughts for now but will return as needed.

Affirmation: “I AM the light by which I see.”

 

Day 85

Life Responds to Names

When we think of communion with the soul or Higher Self we normally think of receiving impressions, the still small voice or inspiration from an inner source higher than ourselves. All these methods are good and the seeker should expand upon them as much as possible. Often unrealized is that the Higher Self, at least from our point of view, is basically unlimited. There are no boundaries as to how it can communicate with us if we are willing. The only restriction is that the communication must be a two-way endeavor.

The seeker cannot just sit back and let the Higher Self do all the work. Neither will your Higher Self leave everything up to you. In the end you are one, the reflector and the reflection. All communion is cooperative.

A difference, however, between you and your Higher Self is that this higher part of yourself is much more aware of you than you are of it. Before it can respond to you, you must evoke it and call upon it.

Many do this to a degree naturally through prayer. In prayer the person calls upon God, but your Higher Self is linked to God and if potent enough will receive your prayer.

Similarly meditation can evoke response from your Higher Self.

One of the most important pieces of knowledge for the seeker to have is that there is a higher part of himself that is the intermediary between him and God and that it is happy to make contact. As mentioned earlier, there are many distractions and illusions that take away our attention from the true spirit within and place them on the gods without, but when the seeker finally looks in the right place he can indeed seek and find.

An important key to greater knowledge of your Higher Self is that it has a name and just like you respond to your name this entity responds to its name.

The assignment today is to find the name of your Higher Self and call upon it.

“And how am I supposed to do that?” asks he seeker.

The simplest way is to just ask what its name is. Those who ask who are sensitive may get an answer right away. Some will think they have the right name but really have an incorrect one. Others will just not feel sure if they are getting anything or not, How, then, can seeking the name be useful to a group if many do not retrieve the correct name?

His answer is this. The Higher Self will be pleased if you do discover and use the correct name, but is still happy to respond to you even if you get it wrong. The most important thing is to tune in to its essence and call upon it by a name that feels good to you.

Here is the process to apply. First consider that your Higher Self may have the same, or a similar name, to our own. Sometimes parents will tune in to the Higher Self of the child and use a similar name.

As you mediate, pray or contemplate think of this possibility first. If you do not get a positive response on this then ask: “My friend, myself, my link to God, who art thou and by what name do you wish to be called?”

Then sit in silence for a few moments and listen. After discerning the name to the best of your ability pick the one that feels most correct, even though you may not be sure that you are right. Pick a name and start using it, calling your Higher Self by name as if it were right next to you. As you proceed and another name comes to mind that seems better switch and use that. The important thing right now is to pick a name that feels good and begin using it. Keep the name to yourself and do not tell anyone, unless you feel impressed from within to do so.

We will explore using the name in the next lesson.

Affirmation: “I call upon a name from God.”

 

Day 86

Settling on the Name

Some will be concerned about naming the Higher Self when they are not sure they are correct, but the important thing at this point is to pick a positive sounding name. We are taking a step, and the step involves moving forward, which is more important than being assured you are 100% correct.

So wouldn’t your Higher Self be offended and unresponsive if you called It by the wrong name?

The answer is no. To understand let me ask you this question. Have you ever had a nickname, or known someone who did? As long as the name sounded positive then using the name was no problem was it? If one has a good nickname he will respond to it just as he would his real name.

Sometimes a person will like his nickname more than his real name. “Babe” Ruth is a good example. His real name was George, but he has no problem embracing his handle.

Ronald Reagan seemed to enjoy his two nicknames of the “Gripper” and “Dutch.”

Theodore Roosevelt didn’t like the nickname “Teddy” but did like a lesser-known one of “Colonel,” so those who wanted to get on his good side used that.

During president Franklin Roosevelt’s era the initials of his name, producing the nickname FDR, became more popular than his real name.

Many pop stars embrace nicknames such as Bruce Springsteen has no problem being called, “The Boss.”

Since the higher part of yourself is less subject to taking offense than you then giving it a name will be no problem as long as the intention is positive.

So, if you have not received a name and do not want to use your own what should you call the Higher Self? There are a lot of possibilities. You could call it Jesus or Christ, or Jesus Christ since it shares in the Christ consciousness. In fact many revelations where seekers feel they encounter Jesus are merely encounters with the Higher Self. If you are into Eastern religions you could pick Buddha, Zoroaster, Krishna or some other hallowed name.

On the other hand, you could pick a common name such as Tom or Bill, or Mary or Susan if the female side is preferred.

You can even use something descriptive that is not normally a name such as, “Holy One,” “Beloved,” or “Holy Spirit.”

Any name will work as long as you see the name in a positive light.

The important thing is to pick a name and start using it with the realization that this represents a higher part of yourself, which is linked to Christ, which is linked to God. This is your personal Christ who is willing to assist you in creating miracles in your life.

So, if you have not yet picked a name do so now and remember you can change your mind later if a better one comes along, or if the true name is revealed to you. Do not change the name without good reason, as the thought you will be placing on it is cumulative and an important reservoir of energy.

Your assignment today is that once you have settled on a name to repeat it approximately one hundred times over the next day. Each time you say it visualize a master soul hearing it and responding. You can repeat it in a whisper or out loud while you are walking, driving, sitting at your desk, watching TV etc. Making this many repetitions should be easy. Visualizing getting the attention of our Higher Self will be the biggest challenge. At the end of the day, after you have finished the repetitions, say the name one more time with the greatest expectation possible. Sit back, relax and listen for this answer: “What do you wish of me?”

Affirmation: “A great soul is waiting for my call.”

 

Day 87

Completion

Did you say the name 100 times during the last day? Unless you are one of the few, probably not. If not, you have by no means failed, but merely not completed the assignment. Continue to say the name over and over until it feels like you have done it 100 times. Do not keep any actual record of the count as that would merely distract.

During this coming day attempt to be more diligent and remind yourself about the name and be sure to sense and anticipate an inward response.

If you have finished the assignment as specified continue contemplating the name, but without the repetition. Just think on the name and attempt to feel the presence.

Your assignment today is an extension of yesterday’s. We want to take this step before proceeding.

Affirmation: “I have sought and will seek again until I find.”

 

Day 88

Energy Follows Thought

How are you doing on the name? Have you gotten to around a hundred yet? Does the name you are using feel right or does another name that came to your mind feel better? If so, go with the one that settles best with your own inner feelings.

When you settle on a name you’ll know when you have said it enough times. If you haven’t repeated the call enough yet, go ahead and continue during the next few days. In the meantime go ahead and move forward to this new lesson.

Settling on a name for your Higher Self and calling on It with an expectation of response is a solid and bold step to take. It shows that you have faith that there is some type of higher intelligence connected to you that is capable of response.

As you continue working on this link we will take the course to its next level.

So far you have been attempting to use your higher feelings to sense the presence of your Higher Self. This you should be doing whenever you think of it or call out Its name.

Next we must add vision to the equation. The problem the seeker faces is that just as he may not have known for sure the name of his Higher Self he may have no idea what it looks like.

Just as you did not know for sure what name to use, you probably do not know what to envision when selecting an image. That doesn’t matter and this is where the power of your imagination comes into play. There is an eternal principle which tells us that “energy follows thought.” If you therefore imagine with enough intensity a form that represents your Higher Self the energy you place in that form can draw your actual Higher Self to it. The key is to make the image a positive representation, just as you tried to pick a good sounding name.

For the image you can choose a benevolent elderly man with a beard – as many imagine God to be, an image that looks like Jesus, some ancient sage, a benevolent and beautiful female or even an historical figure you admire such as Abraham Lincoln. You can even pick an image of yourself – after all, we are taking about a higher part of you. A final way to make the choice is to meditate on what the image should be and see what comes to your mind. If an image comes and it feels right then go ahead and use it, even if it is a ball of light.

Reflect and come up with a picture in your mind that represents your Higher Self. Now sit back in your chair and imagine that it is standing several feet in front of you. Imagine that you can see It with your eyes open or shut.

Now call It by name and imagine that He or She recognizes the name, smiles and is willing to respond.

Call out the name several more times and imagine that it makes a connection with you that allows you to sense Its thoughts and feel Its love.

This is as far as we will go today. See your Higher Self, call to It and feel It giving you a response. Repeat this as often as you have time.

Affirmation: “I look and thus I see. I am open and I receive.”

 

Day 89

Today I ask questions.

So, did you make a connection with your Higher Self? Were you able to visualize It? Did you sense Its love and acceptance of you?

If the visualization was not clear do not be concerned. Some people are better visualizers than others. We all develop various skills where we place attention. The important thing is that you sense the higher presence. If you have difficulty visualizing a human form perhaps seeing a burning bush as did Moses would be easier.

There is much more power in thought than is realized. Your presence here in a physical body was made possible by thought. The thought from your own soul in cooperation with other lives helped prepare your body that you currently use.

By visualizing, or even sensing the presence of your Higher Self you are following the same basic process as have all creators before you. The only difference is you are at beginning in the learning of this process while others in the unseen world are master craftsmen.

If you will imagine a presence not far in front of you who is willing and able to communicate with you, then you are applying the beginning steps in the creative process and can actually create a vehicle of manifestation for your Higher Self.

Each time you see or sense your Higher Self near to you, you are sending a charge of energy by the very power of your thought. Each charge is a building block that can create a usable vehicle that can be of service to your Higher Self. You will most likely not put all the blocks together in one or two lessons. You must realize that this is just the beginning. You will want to practice this process for the rest of your life. If you are diligent you will be rewarded with the presence of your best friend, a higher and more perfected version of yourself.

Your assignment today is to visualize and sense the presence of your Higher Self and ask it a couple question as follows:

(1) Have I lived up to your expectations in this life?

(2) In what areas do I need to improve?

(3) What am I supposed to do with the rest of my life?

Ask these questions with a sincere heart knowing that the Higher Self is here to help you and does not condemn you, but accepts where you are in the struggle of life. Expect an answer. The stronger the expectation the more likely it is that you will receive.

Affirmation: “I create as did the creators before me.”

 

Day 90

Listening for Answers

How did you do with the questions that you asked of your Higher Self? Did you receive any answers?

A handful will receive answers that seem clear to them. Most will not be sure, but if it seems you received no response do not discount your endeavor so quickly. You may have received more than you realize. After all, communication with the realm of the Spirit is much different than person to person on the earth.

The first question was: “Have I lived up to your (the Higher Self’s) expectations in this life?”

Now you can’t tell me that nothing came. When you asked the question some type of impression came to you. The chances are you thought that it was all from you and not your Higher Self. You must remember that you and your Higher Self are one. The only difference is that you are a fragment in an illusionary dream state and the Higher Self is an awake version of you. Therefore, that impression that came to you when you asked the question may not be that far off.

Because we are usually our own strongest critic you may have at first felt that you are not living up to all that was expected of you. Then, when you thought about it, some of the things you have done right probably crossed your mind. It is indeed true that all of us have had successes and failures. It is good to reflect on life in connection with the highest of spiritual intelligence you can access. Upon reflection you are likely to receive helpful impressions from your Higher Self that will improve your life.

The second question reads: “In what areas do I need to improve?”

To this all kinds of things may have run through your mind and you probably thought they all came from you and you alone. On the other hand, one of those things stood out more than others. This was most likely an impression from your Higher Self.

You might want to ask this question again and observe all that comes and take note of the one where you receive the strongest impression and think on it further.

Now for the third question: “What am I supposed to do with the rest of my life?”

A few are satisfied with an answer to this question, but many are not. Many are not sure if they are headed the right direction and would appreciate some guidance on this. Many have prayed to God about this and still are not sure. Similarly, many who will ask his of their Higher Self for the first time will feel that they have not gotten a clear answer.

Perhaps those who feel they did not get an answer missed the obvious one that came in the form of a question: “What do you want to do?”

Find something you enjoy doing, preferably something that will benefit others and do it. As you go through this process you will sense when you are headed the right direction. All of us have an internal compass and if we pay attention to it our life will head in the right direction.

Follow the highest you know and the time will come that you will receive a recognizable confirmation from your Higher Self. It will most likely come in an impression or strong feeling that you are headed the right direction.

Working with your Higher Self and seeking communion with It will be a life long endeavor. These lessons pointing you in this direction are merely the beginning and far from the end. Visualize, or imagine the presence of your Higher Self regularly and take note of your increased sensitivity as it comes.

Your assignment today is to again visualize or imagine the presence of your Higher Self and formulate a couple questions on your own. Keep experimenting with imagining the presence and communicating with it. You will find that energy follows thought and turns the imagined into the real.

Affirmation: “I create that which I imagine.”

Copyright by J J Dewey

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The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact, Part 8

Day 71

The great illusion

It is said that the cost of freedom is eternal vigilance. This is also true for the seeker seeking to maintain contact and communion with his highest spiritual center.

Also of note is that freedom can be taken away in increments that are hardly noticeable until one awakens to an alarming loss; even so, for the seeker who does achieve a measure of soul contact. Loss of focus and tricks played on him by his lower emotional and mental selves can take him away inch by inch until he may not realize how great the distance is that he has traveled away from his soul.

Even though soul contact is more real than the material reality the initial contact is very gentle and ephemeral – a little like a voice at a far distance that you are trying to discern through lots of interfering noises.

Those noises are caused by distortions from the emotional self and illusions and scattered thoughts from the lower mental self.

We have spent significant time on discussing how the emotional self blocks soul contact. More subtle though are the blockages created by the mind.

The problem with the emotions is easy to understand. One may have a grievance or another negative emotion that takes his attention away from the inner peace of the soul. In a negative state the person just doesn’t feel like stilling the emotions and seeking higher contact.

On the other hand, illusions from the mind can creep in when the emotional body is in relative peace. In that fairly tranquil state the mind can trick the seeker into thinking he has contact when such is not the case.

When the seeker begins his quest he usually seeks some type of higher contact. In this course we use the term “soul contact”, but people seek this by different names. Seeking an answer from God is the most common description of the quest. Others say they are seeking the Holy Spirit, Jesus, the Higher Self, higher mind, nirvana and so on.

It matters not what language you use, the process is the same. Your request must make it through the static of the lower emotions and mind. Even when the emotions are stilled the mind can create quite a barrier. Here is the most common illusion that creates a problem.

When the seeker begins his quest the highest he will normally reach will be the higher parts of his lower emotional self. The feelings here are very powerful and can bring tears to the eyes, but they are still a part of your lower self. The seeker may be a step away from higher contact, but still connected to the lower self which can lead to much error.

This is where the mind comes in creating an illusion. The mind calculates that the person is just as spiritual as the next guy and decides that the higher feelings he has received are pretty much the ultimate from God, the Spirit, Higher Self or whatever he seeks. Since he has not achieved solid enough soul contact his mind is tricked into believing that he has found the ultimate. A few years ago there was a popular bumper sticker signifying this illusion stating, “I found it!”

If the seeker is tricked into thinking higher emotional contact is the end goal then he will relax and it may be a long time before he becomes motivated to see through the illusion and take the next step.

It is essential that the seeker learn to differentiate between the higher part of the lower self and the actual Higher Self. He cannot do this until he makes contact and he cannot make contact unless he is open to the possibility that he has not found the ultimate presence.

None of the students reading this will have found the ultimate so all seekers need to proceed with the idea that there is something higher. Soul contact is the first major step, but there are others.

The assignment today is to reflect on this lesson and what may be your personal barriers to discerning the difference between the higher emotional self and the true Higher Self. Contemplate on what your next step is in making higher contact.

Affirmation: “I have struggled to make it this far. Now is not the time to rest, but forward I move through all barriers.”

 

Day 72

Creation by illusion

One of the reasons that this physical reality is so full of illusion, division and strife is that all physical reality is created on the principle of illusion.

This idea is in harmony with known science. As we look deeper and deeper into the microcosm we find smaller and smaller particles, but then as we get further into them we find lots of empty space and more particles until we get to the atom. Then we find that the atoms are over 99.99% empty space. All we find are sub atomic particles with wave properties. As we go deeper all that is discovered are wavelengths. The whole physical universe is composed of wavelengths and science has no idea what creates them

The original wavelength is created by the Purpose or Thought of God set in motion. All creation manifests through the illusion of the guitar string principle.

Take a look at a single guitar string. It is one isolated string. But then pluck it and look again. What do you see? You see three strings – one on top, one on the bottom and one in the middle with a blurr in between.

Even so, the one God set thought in motion and created the illusion of the Trinity, the three. The wavelength of science manifests this three. There is the top of the wavelength, the bottom and the middle representing the originating force.

It is fascinating to consider that the whole visible universe is observable because of the simple guitar string principle.

Since this physical reality is created on the principle of illusion we should not be surprised that illusion is all around us and distracts us from seeing the formless reality behind all form.

The wavelengths and vibration of music in this reality are like the sirens of Ulysses. They draw us through illusion and drown out the beautiful music of the spheres, causing us to take erroneous paths that lead to disaster again and again until we fine tune our inner ear and find the true voice that leads to everlasting deliverance.

When the seeker realizes that all things visible in the material world are founded upon illusion then he will take to heart the idea that illusion is everywhere. Piece by piece must the seeker find and unravel the illusions about him.

There are illusions in politics, illusions in religion, illusions in science, and even math. There are lots of illusions about what is good for you, or your highest good; illusions about health and medicine, illusions concerning finance, about love and romance, about education, about reasoning and what is truth. There are more illusions than we can name here.

Because of our great political division most are more than eager to find illusion or error on the other side of the aisle, but believe me, neither the liberals or conservatives have a monopoly on this problem.

Your assignment today is to look at the political party you usually support with your vote and ask yourself where is there illusion within it. What is the cause and what is the solution? Be careful that your answer is not based on illusion. For instance, avoid answers such as, “My party needs to teach those other SOBs a lesson and they are not doing it.”

Find some real illusion wherein a flaw resides. It may be difficult if you have invested too much energy in demonizing the other side.

Affirmation: “I can see illusion in friends as well as foes.”

 

Day 73

Seed Thoughts

The lower mind cannot dispel illusion by itself and needs some help from the higher. The higher mind is always there willing to assist us when we do our part to make contact. Very few make the needed contact until they finally decide to tread the path which will take them home.

One exercise that all can do which will strengthen the link between the lower and higher self is in the use of seed thoughts.

A seed thought is a phrase, potent with meaning, upon which the student contemplates with the goal of receiving greater light or inspiration.

Sometimes a thought represented by just a few words, when contemplated, can provide enough inspiration for an entire book.

After all, we are told that, “in the beginning was the word.” Could God have used one mere word as a seed thought that expanded into all there is? Interesting seed thought right there.

One thing that helped me to realize the value of seed thoughts was that in my youth I memorized quite a few scriptures. Later on when I had boring jobs or was just doing a lot of driving with nothing to do, those scriptures I had previously memorized just seemed to float around in my head now and then. When this happened and I reflected upon them, often more understanding would come and I would see them in a light that hadn’t been there before. I began to realize the truth of the ancient Jewish idea that all inspired words had at least three meanings. They called this the body, soul and spirit of the scriptures. Still others believe that inspired words have seven meanings.

Throughout my life I have found those memorized scriptures to be excellent seed thoughts. Sometimes 20 or 30 yeas after they had been memorized additional light would come when reflecting on them.

One thing I discovered is that not all scripture, words or seed thoughts are the same. Some have more potency, meaning and harmony with the soul than others. Even some single words can provide powerful thoughts to contemplate. Examples of such words are, love, God, vibration, relationship, Spirit etc.

A phrase is good though for it can contain potent words and have an overall potency in its entirety.

For your assignment today I will give you a seed thought which has provided me with great light over the years. Let this thought run though your mind over the next day and see what additional thoughts come. When you realize additional light or understanding ask yourself if perhaps it came from your higher mind rather than your lower. If you pay attention you will sense the difference between something that comes from the lower mind or the higher.

Here is the seed thought for the day:

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

Memorize this scripture and let it come up often in your thoughts during the next 24 hours.

You must do more than just let it come to your memory, however. Ask yourself questions about it, such as: What is truth? How will I know it? Why and how would it set me free?”

You must ask yourself questions as you think about the seed thought as sometimes the questions reach the soul which knows the answer.

For today’s affirmation use the seed thought.

Copyright by J J Dewey

 

Day 74

Seed thoughts and questions

So, how did you do with the seed thought which was:

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.”

Did you ask yourself the questions suggested which were:

“What is truth? How will I know it? Why and how would it set me free?”

Did you stop there, or did you ask more questions?

This is a key point for you. You must be the source of your own questions. A question given by another is only half a question. One created by yourself is a much stronger one and has more power to reach the soul.

There are many more questions you could ask yourself connected to this seed thought such as:

What is Jesus referring to when he speaks of freedom?

Free to do what?

How is truth related to freedom?

How am I not free now?

Is “the truth” a specific truth or truth in general?

Don’t feel bad if you did not think to ask additional questions. Most others did not either. However, let this be a notice to you of the importance of asking your own questions. Asking questions is a major key to opening the door to soul contact.

Asking questions is a key ingredient, but not the only one. The seeker must expect to get an answer. In an attitude of expectation he must throw the energies of his heart and mind on reflecting on the answer to the question. He must believe that he can find the answer.

The next seed thought is the first stanza of the Great Invocation:

“From the point of Light within the Mind of God

“Let light stream forth into the minds of men.

“Let Light descend on Earth.”

First, read it over and ponder on its meaning, Then, after a period of reflection, come up with three questions about it. I will not give you any hints this time. See what you can do and then ponder on the answers.

Affirmation: “I find answers because I question.”

 

Day 75

I am a point of light

So… did you come up with the three questions? That is good if you did. Did you come up with more than three? That is even better. The reason that deserves praise is not because of skill in coming up with questions, but because you showed initiative and did more than is asked by an outward source.

Remember in the last lesson that some made extra progress by showing the initiative to come up with their own questions, going beyond that which was suggested? Even so, a few here may have gone beyond the suggestion to cone up with three questions and come up with four, or maybe five or more.

Again, if you went beyond that which was asked you have made an important step, a step common to those who maintain consistent soul contact.

In saying this, I should stress that, for teaching sake, the process with these seed thoughts is sped up, as many seed thoughts may foment in the mind and heart for years, and then in a flash additional knowledge will come. That doesn’t mean you cannot receive light on them in a day, an hour or even an instant. You can. Reflection now will bring to you what you are ready to receive in the present. Continued reflection will expand your consciousness making you ready to receive more.

Now, let us take a look at today’s seed thought. It begins:

“From the point of Light within the Mind of God…”

The most obvious question would be around the somewhat odd wording, “point of light.”

After all, isn’t the light and love of God represented by much more than a point?

The point of light idea has numerous layers of meaning but the most important one as far as the seeker is concerned is that he is a point of light within the mind of God. His real mind is part of the mind of God and his presence here on earth represents a single point among the billions of human lives.

Even though we are all linked to the mind of God, few have manifested an actual point of light, but those who take this invocation to heart link heaven and earth so a point of spiritual light is manifest within their own minds. Then, from this point of light within, which is shared by the soul, the prayer is that your own soul contact will increase to he extent that you will fulfill the words of Jesus and become a light to the world.

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matt 5:14-16

Asking the point of light to stream forth is another way of saying, “let your light (the light of God through the soul) so shine before men…”

The words “stream forth” represent another unusual phrase and merits some questioning. This thought is also expanded in the words of Jesus:

“The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” Matt 6:22

You then, being a point of light, expand the presence of that light by making your eye, or focus, concentrated on the light of the soul within. When your focus is on the true light within, rather than the false light without your whole being will then be “full of light,” and such a light set on a hill (or openly presented) will not be hid under a bushel, but will “stream forth into the minds of men.”

The next stanza also makes a great seed thought. It reads:

“From the point of Love within the Heart of God

Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.

“May Christ return to Earth.”

I’m not going to make suggestions this time. Just apply what you have already learned, plant the thought in your mind and contemplate.

Affirmation: “I need not go to a far country for divine guidance, for the guidance of the soul is with me now.”

 

Day 76

Quality Questions

The current seed thought:

“From the point of Love within the Heart of God

“Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.

“May Christ return to Earth.”

It is most likely that you asked your own questions this time. That is good and what is expected of you at this juncture. Now that you realize the need for questions the next step is to work on the quality. Most any question is better than none at all, but some questions lead to more results than others.

In addition, the seeker needs to ask the right sequence of questions. One can ask five unrelated questions and obtain a little knowledge, but if he asks five linked questions then the knowledge gained may be much more profound.

Let us ask a series of questions and see where it leads us.

(1) What is the point of love?

Answer: It is individuals like you and me, just as was the point of light.

(2) What is the heart of God?

Answer: In relation to this earth it is all the points of love that are manifesting through individuals and some groups.

(3) How will it “stream forth into the hearts of men”?

Answer: Love is contagious, but in a good way. When many points demonstrate love then it is as if a stream is created which cannot be ignored. The stream will carry many others along with it.

(4) Are physical acts of love and compassion the only way to add to the stream?

Answer: No. In your silent moments of prayer and meditation you can send forth feelings and thoughts of love to a waiting humanity. Every loving act, feeling and thought adds to the stream.

(5) The seed thought ends with, “May Christ return to earth.” Is this speaking of the entity who was Christ or a Christ like spirit among humanity?

Answer: Both. The love that was demonstrated by Christ must be demonstrated by many of us before He returns.

(6) How many?

Answer: A critical mass, enough people so the trend is toward peace, unity and love rather than war, division and hate.

(7) How is this phrase related to the others?

Answer: Christ will first return to earth in us, manifesting as points, then gathered into streams. When the love of Christ begins to dominate in the hearts of men then Christ will be here. Did he not say, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

We gather in His name when we, as points of love, join in love and unity.

A most important step in the return of Christ is our own return home to the love of the soul which is ever there waiting with outstretched arms.

This gives you some food for thought, but do not stop here. Continue to reflect and ask questions, and remember, more than one interpretation can apply.

Next we have the third stanza which supplies a good seed thought. It reads:

“From the centre where the Will of God is known

“Let purpose guide the little wills of men

“The purpose which the Masters know and serve.”

The assignment today is the same as yesterday with the added note to attempt to improve the quality of your questions and see if you can link them so one answer sheds light on another.

Affirmation: “I ask a question and another forms.”

 

Day 77

The Will of God

So, how did you do with yesterday’s affirmation? Are the questions coming a little easier? How about the answers? It is important that you listen after having asked yourself a question. Sometimes in silence a flash of insight will come. This is evidence that you are receiving from your soul. Focus and continue and results will come.

We will now look at some questions and answers that may have entered your mind. Perhaps you had your own, just as valid, and that is fine. Examples are given to assist those who are ready to learn.

The first line of the stanza reads:

“From the centre where the Will of God is known.”

The obvious question to ask here is, where is this center where the will of God is known?

Most esoteric students would say that the center is Shamballa wherein resides Sanat Kumara, the Ancient of Days. He is the highest representative of the Will of God on the earth. He and His associates represent the head center of the planet. The Christ and his associates represent the heart center.

Many contemplate this far and stop but there is more. The creations of God are vast indeed and there are many centers where at least a portion of the will of God is known.

There is the Logos of our planet which has an awareness far exceeding our own, then you have seven very advanced beings called in the Bible, the Seven Spirits before the throne. Above them you have the Solar Logos and then a logos over seven solar systems. If we could ascend high enough we could arrive at the One Great Life which we call God. I’m sure He has plans that would boggle the minds of many of the great ones.

Fortunately, there is a connecting thread that links the highest Life with the lowly self aware units we call humanity. Each self conscious unit has within it a center where the Will of God is known and from that center even a single human can sense his part in fulfilling Divine Will.

The center in the human body related to the will is the crown chakra at the top of the head and from thence are elements of higher will distributed through your entire being. There are many things going on in your being of which you are not aware.

We, however, desire to become aware of higher will so we can be conscious contributors and avoid being unconscious obstructionists. Your soul has a sense of the part you are to play in the current life in manifesting the Will of God. If you can therefore focus and listen you will get impressions about what you are supposed to do. If you follow a true impression when it comes then you will be given more. The more you respond the more you will be given and the stronger will be your sense that receives.

Notice that the wording refers to the Will of God that is “known.” The will of God cannot manifest unless it is known. For the disciple to do his part he must know a portion of that Will. We assume that the Christ and the Ancient of Days clearly perceive much of that will, but we have a responsibility also. We must find and know of that portion which belongs to us. This brings us to the next question. Ask yourself this:

How much of the will of God do I know?

This question will be your seed thought for today.

Do not say that you do not know any part of the Will of God because you do and you will discover this in the next lesson. So do not claim ignorance and not seek the answer, because you do know parts of Higher Will.

Affirmation: “I know more than I think.”

 

Day 78

Understanding Divine Will

Your last seed thought was to ask yourself this question:

“How much of the will of God do I know?”

I told you that you have a knowledge of portions of the Will of God and should be able to name them. Some did not believe this, thinking that obtaining the Will of God is beyond their grasp.

But discovering many elements of divine will is not beyond your reach for you are an extension of Divinity yourself. Many have merely forgotten who they are.

That said, I will list a number of things that are in harmony with Divine Will of which I am sure you will agree.

(1) Love your neighbor as yourself.

This was said by Jesus who was indeed close to God and most people, even non Christians and atheists agree with the basic idea. Do you not think this precept is in harmony with the Will of God? Our spiritual senses say yes.

(2) Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

Do you not suppose that God’s Will is to follow this principle?

(3) Apply the principle of forgiveness to the best of your ability.

Again our spiritual senses agree with this.

(4) Have faith that a dominating good will prevail.

Does it not make sense that the will of God is guiding all things toward a good end?

(5) The Ten Commandments.

These are said to be written by the finger of God, but most of them are accepted by the masses. Of course, it would seem that the Will of God is against stealing, lying, murder and other basic evils.

So, you see – you do know quite a few things that are in alignment with the Will of God.

It is God’s will that we have our free agency. We are given this, even though it creates a lot of problems, many of them even blamed on God.

As extensions of God we have within us all the creative powers of God. Because we have our agency we can use those powers to create any kind of world we want, good or bad. We collectively have created this world using the godly powers given us. It is not the Father’s Will that we cause each other pain and grief in this world, but it is a top priority that we have free will so we can learn from our mistakes. Therefore, we have manifested an imperfect world where many negative things happen that would not transpire if we had no freedom.

The wise parent allows his child to go out and play, knowing he will get some bumps and bruises, but will learn from them. The parent would never directly hurt the child, yet because the child must have freedom to learn one must expect some discomfort in the process.

From one way of looking at it then, your will, no matter what it is, is the Will of God, because the use of your will is the use of the powers of godliness that God has granted for us to employ.

It is His will that we learn from our bad decisions and eventually bring all of our decisions in harmony with the originating unity which is God.

Everything that happens, good and bad, is allowed by divine will so a greater good will be the end result of creation. On the other hand, when harmony with Divine Will is spoken of by teachers they are speaking of steps that take us toward the dominating good, not away from it.

For instance, you may be presented with the choice to marry either person A or person B. Person A is the much better choice, the one you selected before you were born. But Divine Will gives you the freedom to make a mistake and marry person B. If you marry person B you are going along with Divine Will as far as using your freedom, but your actual choice is not in harmony with it. Thus, when we speak of being in harmony with the Will of God we speak of decisions which are in alignment.

The seeker must value his free will, but he must also value the quality of his decisions and seek those decisions which assist all forces toward a positive end.

Many people who are not aware of what soul contact is have sensed guidance from within in making major decisions in life. Decision points are great guideposts directing us toward true inner contact.

Okay, we have expanded that seed thought on will. Even so, there is much more that could be said, but let us move on.

Let us repeat again the third stanza of The Great Invocation:

“From the centre where the Will of God is known

“Let purpose guide the little wills of men

“The purpose which the Masters know and serve.”

We have covered the first line; let us move on to the second and third. Notice that “Will” is emphasized in the first line and “purpose” thereafter. Contemplate these questions;

(1) What is the difference between will and purpose?

(2) Why are we told that we have “little wills”?

(3) What is the purpose that the Masters know and serve?

Affirmation: “My will and God’s will are one.”

 

Day 79

Finding Purpose

Let us repeat the current seed thought:

“From the centre where the Will of God is known

“Let purpose guide the little wills of men

“The purpose which the Masters know and serve.”

The first question was: What is the difference between will and purpose?

So, did you come up with something? Did you feel satisfied with it? The important thing was that you registered the question, thought about it and tried to answer it. That is more important than being right.

We are given a hint to the answer in the seed thought itself, which tells us that purpose guides the will. In other words, purpose originates the plan and will carries it out.

Will and purpose are somewhat interdependent. The first line speaks about the Will of God, but not the Purpose. This tells us that we do not know the whole plan of God (purpose) but it is important that we realize the portion of the plan (Will) that applies to us. When the seeker senses higher Will he develops a natural desire to manifest it.

The second question reads: Why are we told that we have “little wills”?

The answer is twofold. First, we regular humans only correctly perceive a small portion of the plan of God. Therefore, no matter how determined we are we can only manifest a little of it with our little wills.

Secondly, the power of will, even in advanced humanity is in the embryo stage and of small moment in comparison to the greater lives which perceive much more of the purpose of God. Purpose (or the true plan of God) must guide our little wills so they can have an effect.

The third question reads: “What is the purpose that the Masters know and serve?”

Humanity is the fourth kingdom in nature and Christ and His associates (the Masters) are the fifth. Just as humans perceive more than the animals (the third kingdom), the Masters perceive and understand much more than regular humans. But just as advanced animals seem almost human, advanced humans are almost like the Masters.

Those who seek higher knowledge will at times tap into the minds of higher lives and catch a glimpse at the purpose which the Masters know and serve. When that purpose is perceived to any degree the will is stimulated and becomes more potent.

The purpose and plan of God is different than purpose as seen by humans. Human purpose can be frustrated whereas Divine Purpose cannot. Once the seeker perceives Divine Purpose he knows that it will manifest and nothing can stop it. The only thing determined by humans is the amount of time the manifestation will take.

The last line of this stanza then is calling us mortals to stretch our minds and see greater purpose through the eyes of Christ. This scripture provides good inspiration:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Phil 2:5-6

Let us not see it as robbery to attain to the mind of Christ who sees the Purpose of God.

The next seed thought will be the fourth stanza of the Great Invocation which reads:

“From the centre which we call the race of men

“Let the Plan of Love and Light work out.

“And may it seal the door where evil dwells.”

Read, contemplate, absorb and ask questions.

Affirmation: “I see some purpose and am seeking more.”

 

Day 80

The Plan

So how did you do on the last seed thought? Did you come up with questions and answers?

Let us take a look at it again:

“From the centre which we call the race of men

“Let the Plan of Love and Light work out.

“And may it seal the door where evil dwells.”

This thought needs to be seen as more of a linked whole than looked at line by line. For instance, the first line is quite simple for it merely refers to the human race. But then it is asking that from the human race that the plan of light and love should work out and then to the third line that this plan will seal the door where evil dwells.

By the time you got to the second line you might have asked questions such as, “What is the Plan?” “What connection does the human race have in relation to the plan?” “How is it associated with Love and Light?” Is there a reason Love is listed first?” “How will it work out?”

The full plan is beyond the comprehension of humanity. All we can perceive is a small portion of it that affects us at this point in time. Humanity itself senses a portion of the plan, the most important part is to develop and express goodwill and love toward others of humanity as well as lower life forms. This we must also do on an individual basis, but to fulfill his part of the plan the individual must sense the impulse from his soul as to the direction his life is to take. More people get some type of soul impulse on this than is realized and if followed they are doing their tiny part in the great whole.

This stanza calls for humanity to do its part in manifesting the Plan. Many think that God, Jesus or the Masters should come help us, but if we received too much help the whole purpose of incarnating on earth would be frustrated. Humanity must work out its own problems and do its part of the plan by using its own intelligence and initiative.

So How is the Plan associated with Love and Light, and is there a reason Love is listed first?

We mentioned that the Plan itself is related to love and goodwill, but light is also thrown in. Light and love make a complete whole. You cannot have one without the other. Light reveals and love accepts and embraces that which is revealed. Love brings together and light reveals reasons to maintain unity. Love is mentioned first because it is the dominating motivation of life in this great cycle.

Finally, how will the Plan work out?

Much could be written on this but in a nutshell all the aspects of love and light which include wisdom, understanding knowledge and compassion will push back the darkness that hides the real and allow humanity to see the next steps that need to be taken to fulfill the prayer of Jesus wherein he said:

Thy Kingdom come

Thy Will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

The current seed thought ends with “And may it seal the door where evil dwells.”

This can have several levels of meaning but Djwhal Khul who gave it out near the end of World War II said the door was connected to the evil released by Hitler and associates. That door was not completely closed by winning the war but is still cracked open and needs to be sealed shut.

Contemplate then on this great line in connection with the rest of the stanza and see what light and understanding come.

Affirmation: “I will do my part and show goodwill, love and understanding.”

Copyright by J J Dewey

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The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact, Part 7

Day 61

I will see the real world

Our lower emotional self, who we have nicknamed “the tricky devil” has taken the real world and created another for you that is a distorted reflection as is an mage in a mirror. When you comb your hair in the morning and look in the mirror you just assume that is the real you that you are seeing. You assume this because this is what you see each day and it seems normal. Actually it is not the real you, but a reflection that reverses your image.

To understand, hold up a page of type and look at the words through the mirror. Now try and read them. It is very difficult for they are reversed.

The reversal is extremely obvious when you look at words, but not obvious at all when you look at your face.

Let us correspond your true face to the real world wherein resides your true self, your soul or your higher self. This true self is reflected down into the emotional world. When it is reflected everything is distorted because all is reversed. But when you look at the whole picture it all seems quite normal and you seem to have no reason to question this reality.

On the other hand, the various words represent specific truths. For long periods of time the seeker only looks at his general face and does not examine or contemplate specifics. The when he finally does seek greater knowledge and holds up and examines words in the reflection he is somewhat startled. He learns the distortion of the emotional self has reversed everything, and trying to decipher truth through the mirror images of the feeling nature is difficult indeed.

There comes a time in the journey of the seeker when he finally wakes up and takes notice of the reversal. When this time comes he is amazed that he was not aware of this distortion before. But now it has been brought to his attention he begins to notice it everywhere.

When he has conversations with friends he finds that many are not aware of the reversal and talk of reversed truth as if it is the pure truth. He finds they often become angry when he tries to show them the true image.

He notices the same problem when he hears teachers and educated peoples speak. Then when he turns on the news he hears the reversals in much of the media.

When he attends church he discovers that the reversals show up there also and when he listens to politicians debate he finds the reversals are particularly pronounced.

He finds a few others who understand the reversal and feels a connection with them, but overall most seem affected to some degree.

For the assignment today the seeker again needs to ask:

“Am I still trapped in the emotional world and seeing many things in reverse?”

If you think you have escaped the reverse then name three truths you see in reality that many see in reverse.

“How can I dominate my emotional self so I can focus on the real world.”

Remember the most harmful reverse concerns love itself. Reverse love is feeling generated by a desire to possess. Real love is the desire for union, accompanied by a willingness to serve to make that happen.

“I seek the real world where love of union and truth prevails.”

 

Day 62

I will rise above emotional thinking

The emotional world with its reverse thinking is difficult for the seeker to break out of, especially when that is all he knows. He’s a little like a fish that has been surrounded by water all of his life. It’s not even aware of the water and his dependence on it. It does not even occur to him that there is anything else besides water in which life can exist.

When the emotionally polarized person allows his thinking to be determined by his feeling nature he will come to many wrong conclusions and they will seem right to him.

If something feels right to him he will think it is right, even though the direction may end in disaster. His problem is that he goes with his feeling nature without the benefit of stopping and thinking through the whole satiation to see if his feelings are correct.

The feeling nature likes to link itself to some good sounding ideal. In fact it may be more than something that merely sounds good, it may be something quite praiseworthy.

Let us say, for instance, that his feeling nature gloms on to an ideal of helping the homeless. That is fine and good, but suppose that this consumes him so much that he gives so much time and money that his own family is neglected and his spouse leaves him and his kids are emotional wrecks.

Any ideal pursued without the cooperation of mind and reason can, and usually does, backfire on the individual.

We as a nation have made this same mistake by pursuing ideals that feel good to us but without the application of reason. We have spend ourselves into $20 trillion of debt chasing our ideals that feel good, but without reasoning out how we are going to pay for them. The feeling nature never considers the day that we may have an explosive collapse that could send all of our ideals out the window.

When the feeling person stuck in the reflected reversed world promotes his ideal and is met with reasoning that challenges his end result he often gets quite agitated and accuses the challenger of being against his ideal, for instance helping the homeless. The thinker may want to help the homeless as much as the feeling guy, but just has a different way of going about it.

We have many strong divisions in the world today. Some of them are caused by the clash of two ideals, both sides supported by reversed thinking through feeling, but others are caused by challenges to ideals by those who apply thought and reason.

Peace on earth will come when the majority of the people will cease being controlled by the feeling nature and come to see how it can lead to false conclusions. By lifting themselves up to the realm of thought and reason a people can learn to peacefully co-exist, even though different opinions still persist.

The seeker must learn to step free of the control of his thoughts by the feeling self. Incorporating elements of the mind will not take him directly to soul contact, but it is a step that must be taken. The seeker must step out of himself, be the observer and figure out how he can achieve his ideals on one hand without creating disaster on the other.

The assignment today is to examine your beliefs and ideals. Do you have religious beliefs that feel right, but are not logical? How about your political beliefs? Maybe you chose a career or mate that felt right at the time, but on hindsight was a very illogical choice.

What are your ideals and goals now? Do you have any logical plans or are you just feeling your way?

Have you broken through the emotionally based reversed thinking so you can bask in the clear light of reason? Let us hope you are headed that direction.

“I will rise above the fog of lower emotions and bask in the clear light of the mind on the way home to Spirit.”

 

Day 63

I will discern the two emotions

There are different degrees of feeling as well as mind. There are two basic divisions of each. There are lower feelings and higher feelings. Then there is a lower mind and a higher one.

An important step toward soul contact is for the seeker to understand his two feeling natures.

Most only recognize one emotional self which seems to be the source of all positive and negative feelings, from love to hate, unhappiness to happiness and all others that manifest.

Because the feelings seem to come from living in the body and nowhere else it does not even occur to most to seek feeling from any other source. The package of feelings that the average person has seems to be it. End of story.

Except it isn’t.

You are in the dream world of the soul and your feelings here are much different than in the real world of your origin. Much of our consciousness is still there in that greater reality, but it does not occur to most to access it just as when you have a dream at night it does not occur to your dream self to access your waking mind.

Consider your dreams. You have feelings there, but they are different. You may do something totally outrageous in a dream and your emotions there would have little effect. Many of the things you feel in a dream are different than they would be if the dream were real.

Just as your feelings and thoughts are different and more intense in regular day consciousness than in a dream, even so, the feelings of your inner self are more real, intense and fulfilling than they are in this outer world.

In this world there are different degrees of feeling. If you won $50 in the lottery you experience some positive feelings, but if you won a million dollars your feelings would go through the roof. Yet in this example both degrees of feeling are completely connected to this world.

There is another set of feelings connected to your true and Higher Self in the kingdom of God within. Negative feelings, as we understand them, do not exist there for there is no fear of loss. We have negative feelings here because we are either concerned about loss or have seemed to have suffered it

For instance, you get angry because something has been taken away.

You hate because another has taken something.

You get jealous because of fear of loss.

Where there is no concern for loss, as we have here, there is no need for negative emotion and the life essence can focus on what is important. And what is most important for the soul is divine love which seeks to gather together in union all the children of God.

We mentioned there are lower and higher feelings, but in his world there is another category which is a mixture of the two.

A pilgrim on the path may go out of his way to help a troubled person and in a moment of receiving great appreciation for the deed a window opens in his consciousness and he feels a feeling of universal love that is more fine and pure than regular love. The feeling lasted just a short time, but he reflects on it often, as it did not feel foreign, but more like acceptance in a true home.

The goal of the seeker is to merge with the soul so he can enjoy this blissful feeling at all times. Fortunately, most of us have caught glimpses of the higher feeling nature. Some examples may be.

  • After helping another as in the example.
  • Falling in love and seeing perfection in one you adore.
  • Freeing yourself from grievance though forgiveness
  • Hearing or reading words that inspire you.
  • Receiving an answer from within after a long search.
  • A miraculous healing

Though the seeker may not have fused with his soul he has caught a glimpse and that glimpse can be a source of reflection that can bring him closer to more inner contact.

The assignment today is to reflect on a time or two in your life when you feel you have caught a glimpse of the higher feelings of the soul. Once you have identified an occasion sit back, close your eyes and relive the event in your consciousness. Go back in consciousness as if you are there again, living through the scene vividly feeling the wonderful feelings again.

If you do this successfully it will bring you closer to your soul in the present and increase your chances for additional contact.

Repeat this reliving experience several times during the day with this thought:

“I am in the eternal now experiencing eternal love.”

 

Day 64

I see harmony in truth

Why is it that two or more people can receive two or more totally different answers and claim that they were from God, the soul or Divine Intelligence?

If their answers were not from God where did they come from?

This is a question that has perplexed many. Sometimes a seeker will discover two teachers that seemed inspired, yet parts of their messages seem to contradict. How can this be, he wonders?

The first principle to be registered with the seeker is this. In the realm of the soul truth prevails and nothing but truth exists. All communication received directly from the soul does not contradict any other revelation from the soul. All soul to soul communication is in harmony.

Teachers claiming revelation from God receive from three sources.

(1) Direct communication through the soul.

(2) A glimpse of truth from the soul, mixed in with his own ideas.

(3) From his higher emotional self that he mistakes for the soul, but has distorted truth by reflection.

The teacher using method number three will have the most errors. Some details may be correct but most of his conclusions will be wrong.

The one using method two will have some inspired ideas that will garner attention, but still have errors and wrong conclusions because of distortions mixed in with the lower personality.

You would think the seeker could depend on the teacher who has direct soul contact to be 100% reliable but even this is not quite true. There are two reasons for this.

(1) The teacher has to put the formless concepts of the Higher Self into words of form, and words, no matter how carefully put together, do not always represent the original idea without distortion. Even the simplest words of Jesus are interpreted a number of different ways by students.

(2) All teachers are human and sometimes, after receiving a divine idea and filtering it through the lower personality, distortion will be the result and the original revelation will suffer from a loss of purity.

From this we can see the importance of this course. It is only by establishing soul contact for himself that the seeker can see truth for what it is and avoid deception.

An important key to discovery is this. Truth does not conflict with truth. If one statement disagrees with another statement then one or both of them are incorrect. – or at least understood incorrectly.

This brings us to another complexity. A statement may represent a true idea yet be correctly understood by one and incorrectly by another. Only one who is close to the inner Spirit will be able to perceive truth in all cases.

If a statement is blatantly false one with soul contact will sense this. If it is truth, but poorly worded, he will realize this. If it is truth as clear as word can be, he will have knowing about this.

Thus we can see that the ultimate responsibility for perceiving truth is not on the teacher, but the student. We all must seek inner verification to achieve the union of a few, followed by the many.

No matter where one is on the path a contradiction that surfaces is a signal that the thought should be tested in the realm of the soul.

Think back to contradictions that led you to greater light. Maybe the first was concerning Santa Claus. How could he possibly visit millions of kids in one night? How could the fat dude ever get down the chimney etc.?

Then maybe things in your religion did not compute. How does God hear millions of prayers a once?

If He loves us, then why do we suffer?

How is it that those who are claiming to be saved are some of the most irritating people, the likes of which would make heaven turn into hell?

Reflect on questions like these that led you to question and come closer to the truth.

Now reflect on your current beliefs and see if you can find one that may not be in harmony with truth. Think it through in connection with your soul and see where it takes you.

Affirmation: “I have taken many steps that have led me toward the truth. Now I will take one more.”

 

Day 65

I seek to understand the two worlds

Glad you are still here. For some, the goal of stable soul contact may seem far away and others will seem within reach. Wherever you are, this course will help you take your next step. Please continue on, having faith in the dominating good that is the goal of your own soul.

The fact that there are two worlds of feeling create much confusion for those who are only aware of one world. Unfortunately, all but a few are stuck in the one world consciousness. If you have never eaten a peach before and I described how it tasted you may have erroneous ideas of the taste because you have not experienced it. For instance, my description may lead you to assume it is a lot like an apple.

Even so, when one who has soul contact explains it to one who has not experienced it this person will often claim he has also experienced it.

Why would a person who has not experienced the higher feelings assume that he has felt them?

The reason is that he has degrees of feeling and intensity of feeling within his lower emotional self. When a higher part of his emotional body is stimulated he will assume this is as high as anyone gets and often think it is from God. When another describes the higher feelings of the soul to him he will assume it is the same as his higher emotional feelings.

Many touch the soul a couple times in their life but allow the memory of the experience to go out of their consciousness. One of the key ingredients to soul contact is to recognize it when it happens and keep the recollection in the memory. If an attempt is not made to do this the actual memory of how it felt may flee completely just as the memory of a dream may fade shortly after awakening.

Most people therefore, have not contacted the soul or held on to the reality of the contact that will allow them to rise above the feelings of the emotional self.

This creates a great problem in the world. Because most are centered on the lower emotional world their perceptions of truth are filtered through the emotional body which will distort truth, often turning it upside down from true reality. A person under the curse of this distortion may be deceived in a number of different ways such as:

  • He will mistake good for evil and evil for good.
  • In today’s political firestorm he may point a finger of accusation at his neighbor as being evil just for having a different political opinion.
  • He may become captivated by some teacher, guru or prophet who promotes many erroneous ideas.
  • He may be deceived by get rich quick schemes.
  • When he hears a truth that runs counter to his emotions he will instantly reject it and refuse to investigate the facts.
  • He will not recognize a person with true soul contact, but because the vibration is different he may assume the guy is in league with the devil.

There is no clear criteria that can be given out so the seeker can recognize those centered in the lower emotion and those with soul contact. Those with soul contact can recognize each other and discern those centered in the emotions, but those who are emotionally polarized cannot tell the difference. It is difficult to nudge them toward their next step as they do not see that a next step is needed.

Adding to confusion is that many people who are considered highly intelligent and well educated are still centered in the emotions. This includes many who have studied various spiritual disciplines, some with a wide knowledge, even with spiritual experiences to relate. Remember that there is much spiritual phenomena that originates in the emotional body.

There is one criteria which gives evidence of soul contact. The guidance from the soul will always be accurate. Direction received from the lower emotions is often wrong and creates more problems than it solves.

Your assignment today is to reflect on where you are on the path to soul contact. Are you aware of the two worlds of feeling? Can you discern the difference? Can you see how many are controlled by lower emotions rather than the mind, reason and Spirit? What is your next step to achieve more reliable soul contact?

Affirmation: “I will contemplate the two worlds of feeling and understand the difference.”

 

Day 66

I will correct my mistakes

When the seeker receives a revelation from the soul he will discover that it will often involve a correction of some kind. It may involve a correction of his belief system or some type of action he believed to be correct.

When a correction is given the seeker will be expected to implement it. If he does not then the Higher Self will assume he is not yet ready for consistent communion and withdraw for a time.

Thus we see that following the highest we know is of extreme importance. If the seeker receives something to correct his course and he ignores it then he is not following the highest he knows.

An important key to soul contact is to incorporate correction as soon as a mistake is revealed.

The seeker does not have to wait until he gets a clear revelation before applying this principle. All of us receive information in daily life that reveal errors in our thinking and actions. The problem is that it is a natural instinct among us humans to resist change and often not make needed corrections.

Flaws that need correction can range from annoying personality defects to bigger problems that cause hurt to others.

Whether big or small the seeker needs to pay attention and correct his mistakes.

A good way to gauge your need for correction is to listen to what others complain about concerning yourself. Here are possibilities:

You interrupt others too much.

You talk too much.

You don’t talk enough.

You do not listen.

You are a reckless driver

Your jokes aren’t funny

You have body odor

You are a Debbie Downer

You are too argumentative

You need to control your temper

The list could go on and on. Now these things do not involve big corrections like some revelation from God may entail, but they provide good practice at making corrections and when the seeker gets in the habit of making them he is getting prepared to receive higher things.

One problem with flaws that need to be addressed is that often friends will be hesitant to reveal them. They may be nice people who do not want to sound too critical. In addition to this many of our most hindering defects are subtle. Such flaws may not bother friends but are still a hindrance to progress.

To find these hindrances the seeker must regularly examine himself and assess new corrections that need to be made. For instance, maybe you waste over an hour a day that could be applied to productive work. Your friends do not care about that, but your soul does and so should you.

The seeker, therefore, must be self-initiating and study himself for ways to become more effective.

The assignment today is to first reflect on your past. What did people complain about concerning you when you were younger?

Do you still hear the same complaint?

If the answer is yes then perhaps you are not working hard enough in making corrections.

It is a good sign if some complaints are not surfacing any more. Perhaps you have been working on making corrections.

Now reflect on complaints you may be receiving in the present time. Do they represent real flaws or are they just in your friends’ imagination? If more than one person is making the same complaint the chances are that some correction is in order. Ask yourself, am I resisting hearing the truth and making changes?

Finally, find a correction you can make that no one is complaining about, but would make you a better person. You alone can see what this is if you will look.

Affirmation: “As I make corrections, my soul will take notice and trust me.”

 

Day 67

I will keep my focus on the higher world

Most seekers have, at one time or another, sensed a communication through soul energy from the Higher Self, that is also called the soul. Sometimes it has come though a higher feeling of spiritual love, other times the still small voice while still others it may be an impression accompanied by a knowing that it came from a higher source.

Those who are approaching soul contact, but not yet solidified in it will encounter many temptations to return to focusing on the material world and dismiss their higher communications.

When a higher communication is received it usually stays vivid in the consciousness for about three days. During this short period the seeker feels very positive about the experience being real and from God or a higher source.

After the three days has passed the pull of the material world returns in what seems to be double strength. Often a fearful incident will occur that will totally shift his attention way from the soul. This will energize the darkest part of his emotional self and when this becomes activated all thought of soul energies seem to flee as if they were a part of an illusionary dream.

If these darker energies successfully capture his attention the previous soul contact will become as if it never was. Though it may be lightly etched in his brain memory he ceases to reflect on it and the feeling associated with it is lost. He makes no attempt to recapture it and recall that it was something higher than normal emotion. Many will assume that they just imagined the experience, for now the experience seems like a dream because the feeling behind it was not retained.

If the seeker yields his focus to the lower self after receiving from the Higher Self he will lose the benefit and it may be sometime before he has a chance to experience it again.

Your assignment today is to reflect on several times in your life when you may have received a higher communication. First pick the one that was the most potent, close your eyes and let your consciousness go back to it and ask:

“Did I let the material world diminish my experience? Have I forgotten the beauty and intensity it gave me?”

Now go back in your mind to your most recent experience and ask the same questions. In addition ask yourself: “Was I faithful to the guidance or knowledge that I received? What more do I need to do so spiritual contact will be enhanced?”

Affirmation: “I will keep my highest experiences in my consciousness.”

 

Day 68

I will discern truth from error

The Higher Presence that is within us is always there, awaiting the time when we, as wandering children, will be ready to return and communicate. Each of us is like the prodigal son who is squandering an inheritance of godlike powers and eating with the pigs while the Father, our Higher Self, is ever watching from “a long way off” awaiting for our consciousness to return home where it belongs.

Along the path of return we encounter many obstacles, not the least of which are numerous teachers who give out messages full of error, not in harmony with the soul.

Every time you fall for one of these teachers or messages your soul, with justification, will be aware that you are not yet ready for contact and merging. Since you cannot hear its voice warning you about the falsehoods then it would be useless for it to attempt to make closer contact. Because you are allowing yourself to be deceived by falsehoods and are not doing your part in inner listening then any great attempt of the soul would produce a distorted communication that is likely to do more harm than good.

From the time we were taught about Santa Claus to the present we have all been deceived into believing a number of illusions. Some we have dispelled through our own reasoning while others have been with the assistance of the soul. Sometimes in quiet moments the seeker will be looking inward and the impression will come, “no… that teaching is not correct as stated. Think this thing through.”

Sometimes he gets the hint whereas other times he ignores it. Then there are times that he thinks an impression from the soul is a temptation from the devil himself.

If a seeker is to attain soul contact he must learn to see through falsehood and correctly read those whose hearts are full of deception, glamor and illusion. In other words, he must learn to identify those teachers who are not centered in the soul, as well as those who are.

Think back through your life and reflect upon all the teachers and teachings that you have embraced since childhood. Now think of the ones you discovered to be incorrect. Ask yourself, what led to this discovery?

There are a number of possibilities, such as:

  • Another more convincing teacher changed your mind.
  • Your personal studies and power of reasoning brought you additional light.
  • The false teaching was of no use when problems occurred in your life so you cast them off.
  • You realized that truth is not found in a fanciful vocabulary and mysteries that can never be solved. You looked beyond the intricate exterior to the simple principles at the core.
  • Maybe they were not really false but you just wanted to live a more carefree materialistic life.
  • You received a revelation or impression through the soul that caused you see the error and replace it with a higher truth.

This last one is the quickest and most reliable way to replace error with truth. Without assistance from the soul, the seeker will most likely replace one error with another.

Also what the true seeker will often experience is not so much error replaced with truth, but a partial understanding with a greater understanding. One may have a piece to the puzzle and with a second piece he can see more of the picture, but this does not invalidate the first piece, if that piece is a true part of the whole picture.

Think then through your life. Have you made many discoveries of error and moved on, or just a few. Have you added a lot of pieces to the grand puzzle or just a few?

Now examine your present, the most important of all. How reliable is your current belief system? Is it in harmony with your soul? Are you working on gaining your next piece to the puzzle? If you are indeed focused you may capture the attention of your own soul.

Affirmation: “As I seek for greater knowledge my soul will seek for me.”

 

Day 69

The two minds

Most of our attention so far has been on problems of distortion created by the emotional self. It is important to begin our lessons of correction on this lower desire-feeling nature because of its potency in our lives. This must be brought under control so the truth will not be obscured if the seeker is to establish reliable soul contact.

The feeling nature is not the only barrier to contact for the seeker. In addition to his emotional self creating problems, his mind adds additional challenges.

Just as you have a higher and lower feeling nature, you have a higher and lower mind. The lower mind is closely linked to the physical brain and works like a great computer. It processes unfathomable amounts of information and, according to what has been placed into it, will provide answers accordingly. It gives answers that are quite black and white according to how it is programed.

The higher part of your mind is linked to your soul and survives you at death. This mind is a living essence and has access to all knowledge and wisdom. One could say it has access to a great spiritual Internet.

Whereas the lower mind is like a great machine that calculates, the higher mind is not confined to a box and is capable of wisdom and understanding. It works very closely with the higher feeling nature whereas the lower mind is often in conflict with both lower and higher feelings.

The higher mind’s union with the higher feeling nature gives them shared qualities that far exceed their lower reflections wherein strong duality resides. In the kingdom of the soul the mind understands empathy, love and union whereas the higher feeling nature merges with mind and shares in understanding, knowledge and wisdom.

Together they represent light and love that create the third quality of a loving light.

Overall, the lower mind and feeling nature led us into many errors that create barriers to soul contact. On the other hand, the higher mind and feelings unravel all distortion of the material world and reveal the true reality behind all things.

As we have noted the lower emotional self causes problems by distortion through wrongly focused desire. How then does the lower mind lead us astray?

It accomplishes this with illusion. It takes the information it has, and from this will often draw wrong conclusions. It makes many errors because incorrect data has been fed into the computer brain. Just as when one feeds wrong information into a computer program he will receive wrong answers this also happens when depending on the lower mind.

Let us say, for example, that Bill was taught as a child that he was born in sin and humans are inherently evil. Jean, on the other hand, was taught that we are innocent at birth and humans are inherently good.

Because of this difference in unquestioned programming the two will come to divergent opinions on a number of items throughout their lives.

But, if they can contact their higher selves and access the higher mind the illusions created by their programming can be dispelled and their thinking corrected.

Your assignment today is to reflect again on your life and attempt to discern programming in your lower mind that has controlled you, This programming may control your current religious or political beliefs. It may have influenced you to choose a certain career, interests, friends or mate.

Ask yourself how much of your life has been determined by programming that you just went along with rather than real free will.

Next ascertain how much of your programing you may have altered and the illusions you may have escaped. Then ask, “What is the main illusion that controls me now?”

Affirmation: “I desire to discover my higher mind so I may be free.”

 

Day 70

Discovering illusion

There are many illusions in time and space so it should be no surprise that our lower mind is captivated by many of them. The problem begins with the feeling nature which causes great distortion to the seeker who gives it too much heed. Illusion, which is a problem of the mind, is different than distortion.

Let us say that Jack rolls his eyes when Jill doesn’t understand what he is saying. Jill takes that as a sign that Jack thinks she is stupid and gets vary upset. In reality, Jack was not aware of any eye rolling so Jill’s emotional self took something fairly innocent and distorted it into a big problem.

Whereas distortion comes from our emotional self, illusion comes from the mind and greatly affects our belief system.

Example. Ben attends a seminar and listens to a guru who claims to channel space aliens. The guy goes into a trance and describes what life is like on planet Arbucle circling around Sirius. These aliens claim to be close to God and have access to much more truth than we do. The guru gives out teachings from them on how to live our lives until the shift of the axis which will come in ten years. If followers raise their vibration the aliens will come and save them.

Now Ben’s emotional self does not distort anything the guru says, but his mind is tricked by numerous illusions at play. Ben is tricked because his impressionable mind just accepts without breaking everything down and examining the teachings piece by piece.

Here are questions he must ask himself.

Is the Guru just making up the channeled material or is another being really speaking through him?

Now some channels are pretty impressive and speak with an entirely different voice and personality as well as coming up with material beyond the guru’s intelligence. Therefore, Ben may logically conclude that some type of intelligence beyond the guru’s mind is coming up with the material.

The next question is whether this entity speaking through the guru is who he says he is. This is where the illusion often manifests in a situation like this. Bob’s likely to be so impressed that he will accept without question, but he must question.

On the other end of the belief spectrum a born again Christian may automatically assume the channeled entity is a demon, or maybe the devil himself. Making this assumption is also illusionary and caused by his religious programming.

The next question to ask is how true and consistent is the channeled material. Many students think that if something is channeled from a higher intelligence then it must be true.

The truth is that there is error in much channeled material and examining the teachings is the most important factor in unraveling all the illusions involved.

People like Ben must use his common sense and reasoning powers, and, as much as possible, run the teachings by his own soul. Often those who do not have solid soul contact can decipher enough truth with reasoning alone to keep them out of trouble.

The space alien idea is easy to dismiss but the truth is that most people encounter illusions just as far-fetched in normal life.

Such illusions may come from a teacher of a popular religion, a salesman, a too-good-to-be-true investment proposal, a politician promising us the moon or even a person of romantic interest who is deceptive.

In all these and more it is the seeker’s responsibility to use all his powers of truth detection to see through the illusions.

The assignment today is to again examine your life and recall incidents where you have been tricked because of illusion not seen through. Have you ever lost money in a scam, ever been deceived by a lover, ever fell for a teaching or prediction that was discovered to be false?

Ask yourself how you discovered the truth behind the illusion. Did you learn from the experience so you cannot be tricked in the same way again?

Now examine your current life and beliefs. Are there some possible illusions that captivate you now? Examine your beliefs and question them.

Affirmation: “Even though I am open to all things, I will question all things.”

Copyright by J J Dewey

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The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact, Part 6

 

 

Day 51

I seek to be pure in heart

As you can see, the path to soul contact has many obstacles blocking the way. Even though there are many more yet to cover, do not be discouraged. When you acquire power to remove one obstacle you will be given added strength so that the removal of others will be easier. Good advice, then, is to focus on problems you can solve, and the next steps will be revealed.

The soul, wherein lies the consciousness of Christ, resides at the very heart of your being and is pure as the driven snow. Because like attracts like, your heart must also be pure so your heart will merge with the heart of God. If it is not pure, the two hearts will not attract and a barrier is set up which must eventually come down.

What does it mean to be pure in heart and what prevents it?

Shakespeare leads us in the right direction:

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.”

Alfred Lord Tennyson said these inspiring words:

“My strength is as the strength of ten because my heart is pure.”

A pure heart is one that is not corruptible because it does not corrupt. The impure heart will encounter things that are true and then distort that truth in order to gain an advantage in this illusionary material world.

Politicians are famous for distorting truth so they, or their side, can benefit. Many others encounter and succumb to the temptation to distort truth to get ahead in their profession, yet there are a few pure in heart among all categories of people. The seeker must seek to be one of these.

The cause of distortion leading to impurity must be examined. Why does one distort the truth? He does so because he is caught in an illusion that the truth will not get him what he desires. Instead, he feels that a distorted version of it will yield the results he wants.

Let us look at an example:

A bill comes up in Congress that Congressman Bob does not like. He will definitely vote against it. Then others add an amendment that will benefit the school lunch program. If that stood alone he would vote for it, but he is strongly against the main measure so he feels he must vote against the bill as a whole.

He then explains to his constituents why he voted against the bill, saying that when a revised school lunch bill comes up he will probably vote for that.

Meanwhile, fellow Congressman Bill from the opposing party smells red meat and immediately attacks Congressman Bob through the media, accusing him of wanting to starve poor children because he did not vote for the bill.

There was only a grain of truth in Bill’s words but much distortion.

Of course, politicians are far from alone in using these impure distortions. A used car salesman may give a warped impression of the car he is pitching, the spouse may give a very imaginative version of why he is late, a preacher may distort the meaning of a scripture…

The pure in heart will do his best to present reality as it is perceived and he will attempt to perceive correctly. In essence, he will follow the highest he knows.

The assignment today is to reflect on your own purity and answer these questions.

Do I accurately perceive the world around me or does my bias distort it?

Do I yield to distorting the truth when it gives me an advantage?

Think back to the last time you were in trouble with work or in a relationship. Did you distort the truth to save yourself?

During the next day pay special attention to all your written or spoken communications and ask yourself, “Am I presenting the truth without distortion to the best of my ability?

At the end of the day offer this prayer: “Inspire me to communicate without distortion that I may be among the pure in heart.”

***

I received this question:

You’ve said in the past that what one says should be truth but for various good reasons, not necessarily all of the truth. Doesn’t this also cause a distorted version of reality, regardless if it is for good reason or not?

Answer:

In the past I have quoted the scripture which says, ”It is the glory of God to conceal a thing” and stated that it is not a negative thing to restrain from spilling all your guts and give all details when relating facts. One must make sure that what he is relating is true.

Is God, then, not pure in heart because He conceals many secrets?

What he does reveal is true and the distortion of truth is not caused by him but by the person piecing things together and coming to the wrong conclusions, which actually contradict what has been given out.

The distortion talked about is caused by taking known truths and purposefully relating them in such a manner to produce an untruth in the mind of the listener, such as the politician presenting the conclusion that his opponent wants to starve children. Nothing the opponent said indicated he wanted to starve children.

The disciple seeks to relate the facts as accurately as possible and deal with them instead of adjusting them to fit his desires.

 

Day 52

I will examine my motives

Yesterday we talked about the importance of honest communication as a quality possessed by those who are pure in heart. The second aspect necessary is motive. What motivates you to do what you do?

It may run contrary to many popular notions if I say that all life from the least to the greatest is motivated by self interest.

Many will equate this with selfishness and disagree, perhaps pointing out that Jesus was far from selfish.

What must be realized is that selfishness and self-interest are two different things. For instance, we are told that Jesus going to the cross was motivated by self-interest.

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:2

So we are told here that Jesus endured the cross, not just for us, but “for the joy that was set before him.” In other words, as difficult as his mission was, the end result turned out to be a benefit for him and this was part of his motivation.

Does this mean he was selfish?

Not at all – at least not by the way the world defines selfishness.

So what is the difference between self-interest as pursued by Jesus and selfishness?

Consider this: All have self interest, but all are not selfish. Selfishness involves placing the interests of self, from a materialistic short-range point of view, above that of others. Some are so selfish that they will hurt others when it seems to advance their agenda.

The key to understanding true self interest is this: He who is motivated by selfishness is deceived, for selfishness does not result in advancing the betterment of self, or true self interest.

The deceived selfish person only looks at the near future and material values in making his decision. The wise person who looks after the real interest of the whole self looks to the far future and considers spiritual as well as material values. He realizes that he cannot obtain real advancement for self without helping others, neither can he experience lasting joy by himself alone.

True self interest will move not only self, but many others along the spiritual path.

When the true beneficial interests of self are seen, and the person acts on them, he will be seen as one who is not selfish at all, but dedicated to the service of others. He will be seen as being pure in heart for he can see without distortion the path of advancement.

The pure in heart then will have pure motive, not focused on the temporary needs of the ego, but on the good of the whole. He will not seek to glorify the lower self, but let his words and works speak for themselves.

The assignment today is to examine your motives for your important decisions of life. Ask yourself what your motive was in selecting your mate, deciding to have children, your choice of career, your choice of friends, the things you have purchased, the skills you have acquired, your labor of love and more.

How many of your decisions did not look far enough ahead and fell short of true self-interest? End with this thought for the day:

“I see that my true self interest involves loving and serving my neighbor as myself.”

 

Day 53

My Soul and I are one

The Master said:

“Whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Matt 16:25

This statement has many profound implications that we shall merely touch upon.

The life of the ego, or lower self, includes the body, the lower emotions and brain thinking. This life is temporary and represents a projected dream of the soul. It is impossible to save that which is temporary. Thus, no matter how much you try to save it, you will still lose it.

Imagine being asleep and dreaming of being a pirate. You have amassed great treasure which you want to preserve. You feel yourself beginning to wake up, but you wish to save this life so you will yourself to sleep some more. Does your awake self really want to continue the dream forever and have you ever remain in a state of lesser consciousness defending a treasure that does not even exist in reality?

No.

If you were able to save that life, you could not awaken and would lose real life. But if you recognize that dream for what it is you can let it go and awaken to a greater life and consciousness.

After death we eventually reunite with the soul, our higher self, and it is as if we have awakened from a dream. The great secret is that we do not have to wait until death to unite with the soul. We can do it in this life and become awake even though we are still technically asleep.

Have you ever had a dream that you knew was a dream and the real you participated in it? This will happen on a higher level when solid soul contact is made. You will then realize that what you are in this physical world is only a small portion, or shadow of your true self, and by uniting with your higher self you can begin to separate the real from the unreal.

If you seek to save this life and all that the ego holds dear you will lose the higher true life, for you will retain the misplaced emphasis on value. On the other hand, if you are willing to let go of all that the world esteems as having great value and see that the only real true thing of worth is life eternal then you will acquire a oneness with this life in the here and now. You will save your true life and will not have to wait for any death of the body or resurrection.

“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” John 11:26

When the seeker becomes one with the soul, which has the consciousness of Christ, he “is passed from death unto life.’ John 5:24

The greater life is the only one worth saving.

In reality the greater life is never lost, but we are detached from it as the dreamer is detached from awareness of his true being. It is only a matter of time before we wake up. The decision is whether to seek the greater life now or remain trapped in the dream as a prisoner of the lower self for an indefinite time.

Your assignment today is to merely reflect on the idea that you are the dream of the soul and that there is a greater part of you with greater awareness outside of this state of illusion. Look within your mind and sense that this higher self is there willing to be contacted and assist you in waking up.

You must first believe in its existence before contact can be made.

Throughout the day reflect on what it would be like to commune with your soul and attempt to feel its presence.

Consider this thought:

“My soul and I are one as my soul, Christ and God are one.”

 

Day 54

I will find true love

Even the greatest tyrants claim to love and fall in love. Herod fell so in love with the daughter of Herodias that he was willing to give her half his kingdom. Instead, she asked for the head of John the Baptist, to which he obliged.

This romantic love of which all taste, draws people into relationship and is shared by the good and the bad among us, Surely love is not defined by this feeling alone.

It is not.

We could say there are two kinds of love, carnal and spiritual, but it would be more correct to say there are two levels. The first is centered in the material world and the second in the spiritual

Even though the two loves are very different they are effects of the same principle which is this.

Love is that which draws two or more to unity, or oneness. Herod was attracted to the daughter of Herodias and wanted to unite with her.

On the other hand, the disciples fell in love with Jesus and wanted to unite with him.

What is the difference?

With carnal love the person is drawn toward others because of what they can do for him. He who partakes of spiritual love is drawn toward others because of what he can do for them, which in turn elevates his own progress and brings him closer to the Christ consciousness.

The seeker desiring soul contact must learn to differentiate between the two loves and be able to discern the difference in the energy radiated by the two.

The inner spirit, wherein resides the soul, knows only true spiritual love, sometimes called “the pure love of Christ”. One who is polarized in the lower love will find himself repelled by the higher, and thus has a barrier between him and his soul that must come down if access is to be attained.

We humans are influenced by the power the lower love in many ways. We love our favorite foods, favorite sports teams, favorite musicians, favorite family members, favorite actors, favorite authors etc. The closest that one who is focused in this lower love comes to the higher is when he falls deeply in love with another person. This falling in love causes him or her to see beyond any flaws of the other person and, for a time, will get a glimpse of perfection or the Christ in the other person. When this happens, those affected will receive all that lower love has to offer with a pinch of the higher sensed.

Unfortunately, this falling in love euphoria only lasts for a short while as flaws in the other person become revealed and cause the focus to remain on the outer person rather than the inner.

The assignment today is to think back to the instant in your life where you fell in love at the deepest point. If you have never fell in love romantically think of a time you felt the greatest amount of love.

If you have had the falling-in-love experience you have received a taste of the love of the soul or inner Christ. The big difference is that the Inner Christ will not disappoint you by revealing many flaws that diminish the love. The soul resides in perfect love that never fails.

As you contemplate your greatest love that was felt, try to differentiate in your mind the difference between the lower love and the higher. Do you think you can consistently recognize which is which?

Think on this and we will continue on this subject.

Thought for contemplation:

“I seek the highest manifestation of love and will discern the lower from the higher.”

 

Day 55

I will recognize Divine Love

The seeker must learn to differentiate between the lower and higher vibrations of love. There is love which is polarized in the emotional self, and love that originates from soul levels. The falling in love feeling is the closest one can get to the soul love without firm soul contact. It is very close because it does draw forth some soul energy, yet because the soul energy is mixed with personality energy it is not as pure in most cases.

The love of the soul directly accessed is very consistent and pure and the vibration is the same each time it is felt. The only difference may be that on one occasion the intensity may vary from another occasion.

On the other hand, when one falls in love over time with two different people there will be much about the two incidents that seem the same, but if one reflects he will realize that the vibration was a little different on both occasions. In both cases the falling-in-love feeling was great, but the feeling was generated by seeing the inner perfection in the other, bringing in soul energy and mixed with personality energy. Thus the two personalities on the two occasions create a slightly different feeling, even though the depth of the love is similar.

Because this falling in love feeling is so close to soul contact many people who are spiritually inclined feel that God has revealed to them they are supposed to be with a certain person.

The problem is that this feeling can happen with anyone that you open up to and can be quite deceptive. Many people misread the romantic love feeling as direction from God to plunge into a relationship that turns into a disaster.

What complicates this subject even more is there are times that individuals will receive direct communication through the soul confirming that they are supposed to be in relationship with a certain individual. However, the falling-in-love feeling that is mistaken for soul revelation happens much more often.

We’ve all seen cases where some innocent female falls for some charismatic bad boy, and is enamored with him and thinks that love will conquer all because it just feels right. Then most of us have seen that the end result is just as all anticipated, except for the couple in love. They couldn’t see it because the feeling was so close to soul confirmation.

This brings us to why this is important information. If the seeker happens to fall in love with the wrong person, yet can realize that it is the wrong person in the midst of feeling the euphoria of romantic love and reject that relationship, he has proven he is a candidate for strong soul contact.

Why?

Because he was able to see that romantic love was not confirmation from the soul or God.

To find a truth the seeker must know what he is looking for. He will not be able to recognize the sure vibration of the soul if the feeling of romantic love can deceive him into thinking he is receiving confirmation from God.

The euphoria of romantic love has deceived many seekers, even advanced ones who have received some soul contact. The importance of learning to differentiae cannot be overly stressed.

What is not realized is that you can fall in love with any person if the barriers are let down allowing you to see the perfection within. That is why the innocent girl falls in love with the bad boy. She overlooks his flaws and just sees the inner spark from God, and this opens the door for the release of the energy of romantic love.

Romantic love has its place, for it is the glue that holds a marriage relationship together, but the pure love of Christ through the soul has a higher place and this is the goal of the seeker of wisdom.

The assignment today is to try to sense a love that is higher and more reliable than romantic love. Contemplate the difference between the falling in love with a personality and feeling the love of the soul.

Even if you do not have consistent soul contact the chances are that you have felt the love of the soul on a number of occasions. It could have been ignited in you by a speaker, a phrase in a book or song, the words of a friend or even a scene in a movie where the hero performs a great deed. When this love is accessed you will feel like weeping no matter how macho you are.

The love of the soul is so beautiful because our Higher Self sees us as we are in the far future, where we will become perfect and can live in complete harmony with other beings.

Continue to contemplate on feeling this love.

 

Day 56

I will send love today

Almost everyone believes that the injunction to love your neighbor is a good idea. Indeed, if we expect to receive the joyous feelings of divine love we also need to give them out.

What you do not want to do is approach others out of the blue with a big grin on your face proclaiming your love to them. Wrong tactics are likely to be seen as creepy or invasive rather than loving.

Many attempt to show love in the form of gifts. This is helpful if the gifts are needed. Some gifts are much more appreciated than others. Just the other day I read about a very loving gift. A local businessman was going out to his car when he noticed that a tow truck was about to tow away a lady’s car. He was curious and moved closer, hearing the woman say she was homeless and the car was all she had. The guy then asked the tow driver what it would take to release the car back to the woman, He told him that she had a bunch of parking tickets and it would take $475 to clear the tab. The businessman paid the bill right on the spot and the woman was able to keep her car.

A reporter got wind of this and interviewed the woman. Her gratefulness was beyond measure as she didn’t know if she could survive without her car; it was all she had.

The guy who helped her owned several businesses and some perhaps saw him as a greedy capitalist, but this woman saw him as a loving savior who asked nothing in return.

Some gifts are just gifts, but others like this one stimulates the love of the soul. One should seek to give these type of gifts, valued at many times the cost for just a few dollars.

While most of us are limited in the amount of physical gifts we can give, we all have an equal amount of time. All have 24 hours in each day. The seeker desiring soul contact should dedicate some of his time to service. He can start with those with whom he is living. If married, do your part in the relationship. Then do something extra each day to make your partner’s life more pleasant. The same goes for other family members. If those who live with you are happy in your presence then your inner self will send its approval.

Now reflect on extending your service beyond your family. If you go to work each day do what you can to make someone’s burden a little lighter. Think of all your friends and see if they have any needs that you can fulfill.

Many spend time on social media and there you can spend time lifting spirits in others or sharing your words in a way that will be appreciated.

There are many lost opportunities for service missed by the average person. Sometimes just a kind word is just what is needed. The problem is that he doesn’t keep an eye out for the opportunities. On the other hand, the person seeking true inner contact will naturally keep an eye out for opportunities to be of service in a way that will be truly helpful.

The assignment today is to go the extra mile in looking for opportunities to serve and help others in ways that will be appreciated. You can start with the next person you meet. Size this person up and ask yourself, before this person leaves my presence, what can I do to make life easier for him or her?

Continue throughout the day to look for opportunities to be genuinely helpful. Let this thought be with you:

“I serve with no thought of reward.”

 

Day 57

I will show courage

There are times to speak up and times to remain silent. It is generally an act of wisdom to choose silence rather than enter into conflict or give criticism.

We discussed criticism earlier and noted how difficult it is to get a positive result from it.

Yet there is indeed wisdom in the words of Solomon that there is a time and place for everything.

It requires good judgment to discern when to speak up and when to remain silent. When the person feels attacked the tendency is to speak up each time, but often this accomplishes more harm than good.

The best guide in speaking up at difficult times is to follow the inner guidance of the soul. The problem is that when the soul urges the seeker to speak up it is often difficult to do and requires courage. When the lower self urges one to speak, the person follows the line of least resistance and usually no courage is required at all.

Feeling a natural impulse to speak up is often a sign that you should not; whereas, if you are in a situation that requires courage to speak it can be a sign that you should consider doing so.

Before one speaks critical words he should first project where the conversation will go after he generates a response and then use his common sense and best judgment as to whether to move forward with it. If he is sensitive to the Inner Voice and it approves then he should definitely speak, but even here he needs to carefully choose his words.

The famous quote says, “all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

Presently this quote is used to justify a lot of hateful political attacks. What is overlooked is that good men do not attack and criticize at the drop of a hat. For every ten times the quote is used for justification of critical attack, maybe one is useful.

The question for the seeker of inner wisdom is when is speaking up justified?

One of the most important times to speak up is when another person, beside yourself, is attacked without justification and is not there to defend himself. We all have flaws and attackers always feel self-righteous about their critical remarks, but many who are attacked are doing the best they can and need support more than tearing down.

If one is in a group of say six people all tearing down a certain individual it may require considerable courage for you to speak up and call them on their behavior.

If you are defending the innocent, or even partially innocent, but speak up with courage, you will receive affirmation from your soul that you did the right thing.

On the other hand, if someone merely says something you personally find offensive and attack back, your soul will pretty much ignore you and you will be on your own.

Another time to speak up is when others are pronouncing something you know to be true as false. The Higher Self always supports the defense of truth, but if you want its support you must make sure you are on correct footing, for many think the false is true and the truth is false. Only if you are on the side of truth will your Higher Self be with you.

If the seeker defends the truth with the approval of the soul his impact will be powerful. Some will immediately realize they were in error and feel somewhat ashamed of themselves. Others will merely consider they may be in error and consider your words. Those who choose to defend their error will feel anger at you and this is where courage comes in on your part. Defending the truth produces anger in those who refuse to see the light in what you are revealing.

The assignment today is to first reflect on times in your life when you correctly spoke up and other times when you remained silent when you should have spoken. What would you do differently if you had a chance to relive those experiences?

For the second part of the assignment keep an eye open for truth that needs your witness and check yourself if you feel motivated by the lower personality to attack.

Consider this thought: “I will defend the truth and the innocent, but will resist making personal attacks.”

 

Day 58

I will choose to choose

When you reach a point of decision in the path of life there are always two or more choices. Usually it is just two. There will always be one that will seem the easier choice and another that will seem more difficult, either because of risk or some difficulty involved.

Those who do not check with the soul will generally pick the path of least resistance. This is why average people are very predicable. You can depend on them picking the easier path.

On the other hand, those on the path of soul contact will consider both paths. They are inspired by the famous words of Robert Frost:

“Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

The right decision is never black and white and always requires good judgment. The road less traveled by or the path of high resistance is often the better choice, but not always. Sometimes the path of least resistance, the easy way, is truly the best choice.

The difference between the one who is willing to follow inner guidance and the one who is not is that the first is willing to take the more difficult path if he feels impressed by the soul to do so. The one focused in the outer world will often, without much thought, chose the path of least resistance. In fact, the choice is so automatic it can hardly be classified as a choice.

Your Higher Self has much knowledge and guidance it is willing to share with you, but if it is going to participate in your consciousness it expects one important thing in return. That is, it expects you to follow its guidance, even if it takes you on the path less traveled. If you do receive through your soul and then ignore what you receive, the Higher Self will figure you are not ready for cooperation, and withdraw and wait until you have taken a few more steps of spiritual advancement.

Taking the more difficult road can involve a small decision such as mentioned in our last lesson, where the person stands up for the truth at a small gathering, or it could involve great risk of life or freedom. The disciple must be willing to listen to the voice of the soul and follow it if he wants an increase in sensitivity.

Of course, it is important to recognize the true voice, for it will never lead you in a harmful direction. Many receive false guidance because of impressions from lower desire. This is why recognition of the true voice of the soul is so important. We will speak more of this later.

Your assignment today is to review your three most important decisions you have made in this life. Ask yourself, did you pick the line of least resistance or did you take the path less traveled?

Now reflect on the important decisions you will make during the coming year. Are you considering both directions with an open mind? Do you see a path less traveled that may be rewarding? Will you be checking with your inner self for guidance?

Consider this: “When decisions come I will carefully weight the two alternatives and make the best choice, not the easiest one.”

 

Day 59

I will keep my mind steady in the light

Today, Aug 21, 2017, is the day of the first solar eclipse to pass through the continental United States in almost 100 years. I am fortunate to live near the area of total blackout. Here in Boise it will be over 99%, but a few miles north the eclipse will be 100%.

On this day almost everyone is distracted away from their normal labors. Businesses are giving time off, the starting of school is being delayed and many people are just taking the day off.

Our soul, or our Higher Self, is our inner sun which gets its life-giving power directly from God. The moon is a symbol of the emotional self and when distracted it indeed does eclipse the inner sun so the seeker cannot bask directly in its light. Just as the eclipse and other events come along and distract us from our essential duties, even so, we get distracted from our inner light so it seems no more accessible than is the sun during an eclipse.

To attain consistent and full soul contact the seeker must keep his mind steady in the light and not allow emotions, misguided thoughts or outer events to move his attention away from the inner light. As soon as your focus is taken away from the light, the emotional self begins to eclipse the inner sun.

They say freedom demands eternal vigilance. We can extend that thought to the idea that freedom to access the soul also requires the same.

Many seek inner contact through meditation, which is commendable, but you cannot meditate in a quiet place all the day long. No matter what your protocol you will find yourself living with the noise and distractions of daily living. The seeker must learn to keep his focus on the inner light no matter what is happening on the outside.

If someone picks a fight you keep your focus.

If you have an accident, you keep your focus.

If you win the lottery, you keep your focus

If you fall in love, you keep your focus.

No matter what is going on outside yourself, you must not let go of the inner peace within yourself.

Sometimes this will require an act of will. Maybe someone strongly intrudes on your space and you find yourself placing undue attention on this person. In this case you must check yourself to make sure your connection with the soul is intact. Then, from this secure state, you can deal with this person as effectively as possible.

Keeping centered on the inner light is easier said than done, but it can be accomplished by all once the decision is made to achieve this. The greatest hurdle is in making that decision because most do not even realize that such a decision is necessary.

If a decision is not in the consciousness then the decision cannot be made and one cannot enjoy the benefits thereof.

Here is the assignment for today:

First, ask yourself if you have made a commitment to hold your mind steady on the inner light from God. If not, you should set a goal to do so now for consistent soul contact cannot be established unless you give it sufficient attention.

Now, through this coming day you are going to have distractions. Some of them may seem to need your total attention. Pay attention to these times and mentally stop, if even for a second to ask yourself if your attention is keeping its link to the kingdom of God within.

If your day is average you should have three or four occasions to practice this.

Let this thought be in your mind:

“I shall give attention to the inner life and it shall give attention to me.”

 

Day 60

I will reach beyond the lower emotions

The emotional self is a source of many deceptions. If you were to see your emotional self as a tricky devil whose purpose is to deceive you at every step and then take joy each time you fall for the trick, you would not be that far off. The emotional self plays out in your life as if this were the case.

To solve the problem you have to recognize the tricky devil and tell him that you are no longer going to fall for his deception. This will not make him stop trying, but it will enable you, with practice, to see through his illusion.

The problem with this tricky devil is that most people do not even realize he exists. Therefore, when he plays one of his tricks you do not see it coming from him, but yourself, and why would you deceive yourself? You certainly would not do so on purpose.

This devil revels in the fact that you depend on him as much as you do, as well as hold him in the highest esteem. He loves this endearing placement, but has great fear that he will be replaced by something much more desirable and real. He knows that when you discover the richness of the soul he will lose his lordship over you, never again to regain the great authority he now has.

To prevent this loss from happening he does everything possible to keep you centered on the lower emotions rather than the higher feelings of divine love.

His biggest deception is around the feelings of love itself. He places a veil between you and your soul, so instead of feeling love divine, you feel the distorted substitute he offers you. Whereas divine love is based on union that knows no fear his love is based on possession with a powerful fear base. His emotional love is there for you as long as you possess the other person, but there is always a fear of losing that possession and that possibility of loss is the source of fear. He uses this fear to control you.

All forms in this world are temporary including the bodies of the ones you love. In this world this tricky devil controls your love and other lower feelings by threatening you with loss of these temporary forms.

On the other hand, the feelings of the soul do not depend on the possession of form for in the kingdom of heaven each soul is eternally connected to other souls and there is no threat of loss, thus there is no fear. Souls are motivated toward union, but the lower emotional nature is motivated to possess temporary forms.

This tricky devil of the emotional self convinces the seeker that he has all the love that you are ever going to receive. If this is the highest you have felt in this life you will believe it, and many times suffer the fear of loss, thus yielding yourself to his control.

To escape control and access the soul you must see beyond possessive love to union that knows no separation.

Perhaps you have never asked yourself the question, “Is the highest love I have experienced all there is, or is there more?” If you haven’t asked this question, then do it now.

Next ask, “ Do I have a fear of loss in association with my various relationships?”

Finally, “If I were to lose everything, including all relationships, would I still be at peace and be able to enjoy the fullness of the love of the soul?”

The tricky devil has the world convinced that this cannot be, for your happiness is determined by what he has to give you and nothing more is available.

The assignment today is to contemplate how high on the ladder of feeling you have attained. Have you freed yourself from the tricky devil of the lower emotional nature, which rules by fear of loss? If not, what is your next step?

Copyright by J J Dewey

 

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The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact, Part 5

 

 

Day 41

I will focus my thoughts

We all know how a magnifying glass works. You can be out in the sun on a mildly warm day and use it to concentrate its rays, and in a few seconds you can start a fire applying it to dry leaves.

Now imagine something that does the opposite. Instead of magnifying the light, it diminishes it. This special glass takes the sun’s light, diffuses it and spreads it over a large area so the area appears as a dark shadow where little can be seen.

This correlates to a problem experienced by many seekers. Instead of focusing on one or two important things they can realistically accomplish, they use the shotgun approach, scatter their energies and tackle a dozen different objectives that sound alluring. Unfortunately, this approach usually ends with little if anything being accomplished.

The story of the tortoise and the hare also illustrates this principle. The tortoise is focused, moves slowly, but always onward toward the goal. The hare expends much more energy, but is unfocussed and moves all over the place. As we know the tortoise wins in the end, not because he was better equipped, but because he kept his eye on a single goal and moved toward it without deviation.

This concept of focus is a good principle to apply not only to goals in our everyday lives, but also toward the all-important objective of consistent soul contact. To obtain this objective the seeker must concentrate a large amount of energy, including his consciousness toward paying attention to the Spirit within.

The outward world has many competing voices, fun things to do, and material goals that can distract the inward focus of the seeker. We realize that a certain amount of attention needs to be paid to the outward world, but the successful seeker will learn to live in the world but not be of the world. After he gets the necessities of life mastered he can place many of his duties on an automatic pilot so they can function with a minimal amount of attention. Some can never relax and do this, while others program their computer brains to take care of many activities so their real attention can focus on that which is more important.

The most important lesson concerning focus that the seeker needs to absorb is that he must apply the general principle and direct energies within to maintain consistent soul contact. When he realizes this, then he (and, of course, she) has taken an important step to inner contact.

It is interesting to consider that not only will materialistic things in the outer world distract from the inner focus, but so can the many spiritual sirens who call out for our attention.

Many seekers are enamored by the many spiritual disciplines and teachers available to them and they scatter their outward attention on a half dozen or more. Even though the teachings may direct a student inward, they still come from without; and if the student is trying to master many at once, he will master none as well as have his focus diffused.

This is why many spiritual teachers insist that students focus on only one teacher. This is not because any teacher is infallible, but because they are indeed fallible and any two teachers will give the message in two different ways, even if they are saying essentially the same thing. Only the student with reliable soul contact can sift through many teachers and take the one truth out of the many. Even so, it is a good idea for all to focus on one major area of mastery and learning at a time.

Your assignment today is to reflect on successes and failures in your life and see if you can associate a one-pointed focus with your successes, and a lack of focus having too many things competing for your attention with failure. The chances are that you will see a correlation.

End with this affirmation:

“I will arrange my priorities so I can focus on the Divine Self within me.”

 

Day 42

I will grade myself today

Irritation and impatience with others is another distraction that forces the attention outward rather than inward. Again, this largely affects the emotional self and is particularly harmful to those seeking the path of soul contact.

Those who do not seek the Path generally have their eyes projected to the outer world and irritability with others is just one more thing keeping their attention there. However, since you are studying this course you are obviously interested in establishing firm contact with the Inner Voice. To do this you must rise above this distraction, and distraction it is. For many seekers it is their major problem.

There are two things about this trait that takes the eye away from the soul. First, the problem is seen as being outside of self, which turn the eyes outward. Second, irritation over the shortcomings of others springs from a feeling of superiority. While it is true that we all have different talents, intellect and ability, we are all equal in potential. We are all children of the One God treading the path to the Presence. We are all on different points on the path, but equal in value.

Having patience with your brothers and sisters is a sign that you feel an equality with them. Their perceived shortcomings may have been your shortcoming not long ago.

Do you want your teachers to lack patience with you and be unreasonably irritated when you are doing your best?

Of course not, so you need to extend the same courtesy to other struggling souls.

Soul energy from the Higher Self is amplified when two or more see eye to eye and work in harmony. Indeed, the words of the Master are true wherein He said:

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt 18:20

Irritation with your brother’s shortcomings is the fastest way to chase the Christ out of your midst and take your eyes away from the soul.

Working with others is difficult and the tendency of humans is to have rose-colored glasses concerning themselves and an overly critical eye toward coworkers.

Unrealized is that the impatience and irritation shown to others are usually a bigger detriment to the work going smoothly forward than are the shortcomings of one’s neighbor.

It will often be the case that those in a group who are most irritable with the shortcomings of others are the ones with the greatest problems, and, of all people, these are the ones who need to clean house first before they can accurately see into the heart of others.

The assignment today is to grade yourself on how this distraction affects you.

If you are presently in a state of mind that holds no irritation or impatience as well as being free from grievance over the flaws of others, give yourself an A.

If you are just affected once in a while by real stupidity, give yourself a B

If you think you are about average, give yourself a C.

If you consistently dwell on the shortcomings of others then you need to give yourself a D or F.

Give yourself a grade before you read on…

Now that you have given yourself a grade, find your mate or friend who knows you well and explain this lesson to them and the grade you gave yourself. Ask this person if he or she agrees with your assessment of yourself. If not why?

You may discover that your friend’s assessment of yourself is somewhat different than your own.

Reflect on this, especially if your friend sees you quite differently than you see yourself. Is there more you can do to negate this distraction?

 

Day 43

I seek for a grateful heart

The seeker who has established soul contact has a grateful heart. Who can have anything but a grateful spirit when he basks in the spirit of inner peace and feels the love, acceptance and companionship of the inner God? A grateful heart is harmonious with the heart of God.

He who understands this will recoil at the thought of ingratitude, even when enduring many troubles in the outward world. He realizes that lack of gratitude casts a barrier between him and his companion soul and losing that companionship is a loss greater than the loss of all he has in the material world.

The wise pilgrim knows the truth of the statement that “all things work together for good to them that love God.” Rom 8:28 He knows that even when he suffers pain and distress, that he is placed in a circumstance where the end will be beneficial if he continues to listen to his inner guidance. Why, then, would he not be grateful in difficult circumstances as well as good ones since all of them are designed for his benefit?

Is not the champion athlete grateful to his coach when he puts him through painful training as well as in parties celebrating victory? If the coach is working for the benefit of the athlete, then his gratefulness and appreciation will solidify their relationship and bind them together as one.

Even so, your Divine Soul is your wise coach, and your constant appreciation will draw the Divine Presence close to you for it will see you as reaching out with grateful heart.

The seeker must seek to not only be grateful to God but to his fellow brothers and sisters as well. Did not the Master say that whatever we do to the least of our brethren we do to him? (See Matt 25:40)

If we therefore show gratefulness to others, we are essentially showing gratefulness to God.

It is easy to be grateful when someone performs a service that we like, but much more difficult if they give a harsh criticism or attack. Even in these circumstances should the person seek to find something about which to be grateful. One way is to see negative people as a part of the whole life experience that allows us to learn, grow and advance.

For today’s assignment first do your best to assess your own state of gratitude or ingratitude. Do you see yourself as more grateful than ungrateful for the ingredients in your present situation? What are the things you are grateful for right now? What is happening in your life to tempt you to be ungrateful or to feel that life is not treating you well?

Seek today to find at least one thing for which you should be grateful, but have not fully expressed or appreciated. Then in the following days add to the list until you can tell yourself that you have a heart full of gratefulness. End your contemplation with this statement:

“I am grateful for all the lessons God sends to me.”

 

Day 44

I will give glory to God

Jesus made this interesting statement:

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Matt 6:28-29

Lilies of the field are beautiful but when we take a closer look at them through powerful microscopes we see that the words of Jesus were true indeed. Each cell in the plant has an internal organization and government that puts Solomon to shame. Even a single strand of DNA within the cell has a complexity that has baffled the minds of our greatest scientists.

Then, concerning the macrocosm, the scripture says:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Psalms 19:1

It is enough to fill the humblest seeker with awe at divine creation to merely look up at the sky on a clear night and contemplate the beauty and vastness of the heavens. But we are fortunate to live in the age of the Hubble and other telescopes that have pierced the heavens and given us pictures that ancient man could have not imagined. Indeed, what we now see verifies the truth of the ancient Psalm.

An important step toward soul contact is to recognize the handiwork of Divine Intelligence in all creation. You would think this recognition would be obvious, but many minds of otherwise intelligent people have focused on excluding anything higher than random chance for the creation of all things.

If you were walking through a forest and stumbled across a laptop computer would you consider that it just appeared there because elements gathered by random chance to create it? No one in his right mind would do this, yet a single cell or a strand of DNA from within a lily of the field is much more complex than our computers.

It is interesting that when scientists do digs in search of ancient man and find what are very crude tools they will never consider that random erosion or shifting of the elements created them, yet they will claim that a living cell, trillions of times more complex was created with no intelligence involved.

There is one thing that science should acknowledge and that is there is intelligence and consciousness in matter.

How do we know this?

Because there are over seven billion humans on this planet who have consciousness and intelligence and they dwell in the matter of a physical body.

Is it not logical then that intelligence could dwell in the body of the universe itself by the same principle?

Not giving recognition and glory to the Creator causes two blockages to soul contact.

First, the person who denies a creator will not even attempt any contact with his Source because of lack of belief. If he does not look, he will not see.

Second, the inner Divinity, though It never deserts us, will not contact the person who does not recognize It.

Soul contact cannot be achieved without the recognition and appreciation of greater intelligence than ourselves.

The more the seeker understands and appreciates God and all His creations, the closer will he be to his own Source, his own soul.

Your assignment today is to merely pay attention to your surroundings. Look for all the beauties and intelligence in creation and exude a sense of awe for the craftsmanship that went into creation. Find a flower, a bird, a leaf, a blade of grass or even a rock and imagine the complexity of its creation. Look at your body, your hands, your feet, your skin, your eyes and try to conceive the complexity of their design. Go outside at night and look at the sky, and sense a universal presence extending through the universe.

Lastly watch this video giving you a perspective of the vastness of creation.

 

Day 45

I will forgive seventy times seven

Peter was curious as to how far one should go with forgiveness.

“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, until seventy times seven.” Matt 18:21

Seventy times seven equals 490 times, more offenses than any one person will ever wrack up. This was merely a way for Jesus to tell his disciples to forgive without limits.

A Course in Miracles puts an interesting twist on forgiveness. It says:

“God does not forgive because He has never condemned. The blameless cannot blame, and those who have accepted their innocence see nothing to forgive. Yet forgiveness is the means by which I will recognize my innocence. It is the reflection of God’s Love on earth. It will bring me near enough to Heaven that the Love of God can reach down to me and raise me up to Him.

“He will teach you to remember that forgiveness is not loss, but your salvation. And that in complete forgiveness, in which you recognize that there is nothing to forgive, you are absolved completely.”

The Course puts an interesting twist on forgiveness by telling us that the way to forgive without measure is to realize there is nothing to forgive. This applies to ourselves as well as others.

A lack of forgiveness is strongly associated with grievances, for when an offense is registered and forgiveness does not take place, the person will hold within himself negative feelings toward his brother and, as we said, this creates a barrier to soul contact.

Students who study A Course in Miracles will often agree with the words in theory, but find them difficult in practice. After all, how can one buy into the idea that there is nothing to forgive when people do such hurtful things?

On the other hand, if the seeker can reach that state of mind where he sees nothing to forgive, then forgiving seventy times seven, or infinite forgiveness, becomes a reality.

Let us look at an example to see how the ideal should play out.

Your friend Alex stole $100 from you. Not only did you need that $100, but it hurts your feelings that a friend would do such a thing. You are very disappointed in him.

If someone were to tell you at this point there is nothing to forgive, you may have a hard time believing it, as the $100 was real as well as the hurt you feel by the betrayal of a friend.

To rise to the “nothing to forgive” consciousness the seeker must elevate his thought beyond that which is suffering the hurt, which is the emotional self. The feeling nature feels hurt over this and many other offenses, but the feeling nature is a temporary part of oneself. Our true self, which is one with the inner God, is engulfed in the higher feelings motivated by love. When the seeker focuses on the better angels of his nature, he will look beyond the vulnerable emotional self and dwell in the consciousness of the higher invulnerable self that cannot suffer offense.

Because the seeker in this consciousness cannot be offended or hurt there will never be anything to forgive.

Now switching consciousness from the lower vulnerable emotional self to the invulnerable higher loving self is easier said than done, but it can be accomplished. Like any good endeavor, it takes lots of practice.

And practice we must, for solid soul contact is impossible to one who has not forgiven in his heart and holds a grievance.

And remember, forgiveness applies to yourself as well as to others.

The assignment today is to first review your life and list three offenses that have happened that were difficult to forgive. Do they still have a residual effect? Have you let them go as if there were nothing to forgive in the first place?

Next, examine your present circumstance. Is there anyone who offends you, or that you find aggravating, or is really messing things up? Are you able to place yourself in a state of mind that sees the offense as illusion with no power?

Yes, that may be difficult to do, but it can be done.

During the next few days pay attention to all your interactions in person and on the Internet, and observe how they affect your emotional self. Contemplate any negative feelings that affect your emotional self and say: “ These feelings represent my temporary self. My true invulnerable self sees nothing to forgive.”

 

Day 46

I will see difficult people as lions

The teaching of letting go of grievances and forgiveness is difficult for many to accept in everyday life. Forgiveness may sound like a good ideal in Sunday School class, but then when one has a real life encounter with someone who does you real harm, reality seems to settle in and many just do not think the perpetrator deserves any forgiveness at all. You suffered so he needs to suffer.

The first thing to realize is that forgiveness does not abolish justice. When you realize that justice will be done even if you do nothing to retaliate, then forgiveness becomes easier.

Let us pick one of the most hurtful things one can imagine. Suppose a criminal killed your child.

If you forgive him does this mean he will not pay for his crime? No. You can let go of your grievance against him, yet still support a reparation for only through some type of payment will he learn not to do it again. It is important to realize that even if he escapes payment through the laws of the land, the laws of karma will catch up to him. Knowing that justice catches up with everyone makes forgiveness easier. Also the seeker needs to look at justice as a means of correction rather than punishment.

“That’s well and good,” says the skeptic, “but there are several people in my life who really deserve punishment before they should even be considered for forgiveness. I just can’t let them off this easy.”

Yes, if a person is holding on to a grievance and just can’t forgive until some punishment is meted out we have a difficult situation indeed. To forgive requires a fresh way to look at the situation

Visualize a visit to the zoo with loved ones and children. A part that always brings enjoyment is the section containing lions and tigers. Does the fact that they may eat you, a loved one, or even a child cause you to have a grievance toward them?

No. You realize that they are dangerous so you only visit them when you have the proper protection.

Let us suppose that a lion escaped and before he was contained he attacked and bit you and you had to have emergency surgery. In this painful condition would you hold a grievance toward the lion? Would you even need to forgive him?

Probably not.

Why?

Because the lion is a wild and dangerous animal when not contained. It is just who he is.

The seeker must apply this Lion Principle to difficult people. This is just who they are. They cause problems when around you, so the best thing to do is look on them as you would a wild animal. Do your best to protect yourself from harm and enjoy them from a distance. If they break through the safety net and attack you, then you are merely dealing with a wild animal. There is nothing to forgive because it is just who they are at the moment.

Most of us are familiar with the famous Las Vegas act of Siegfried & Roy with lions and tigers. They knew the animals were dangerous, did their best to contain them, yet loved them a lot. During a standard act in 2003 a tiger named Montecore grabbed Roy by the neck and dragged him some distance, critically injuring him. As they rushed him to the hospital Roy was heard to say: “Montecore is a great cat. Make sure no harm comes to Montecore.”

Roy not only held no grievance toward the tiger and had nothing to forgive, but he still loved the cat and wanted no harm to come to it.

We must follow Roy’s attitude and apply it to our fellow humans who still have some wild animal inside of them. The instinct to attack is just in their nature and they have not yet overcome the problem. We must do our best to protect ourselves and loved ones from them, yet seeing them as we would a lion helps us to realize there is nothing to forgive, just as Roy saw there was nothing to forgive.

Your assignment today is to visualize the most irritating person in your life. If you think a few seconds a certain person will come to view. As you visualize this person say: “I see the lion in you – there is nothing to forgive. I have complete protection from all harm from you and all other wild animals.”

 

Day 47

I see the Christ within you and within me

Jesus spoke these words, which have echoed thru the centuries:

“Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matt 25:40

When most people think of this scripture they figure that those described as being in the least category are those down on their luck, like the homeless for instance. While it is important that we see the Christ in people having hard times, the principle extends further than this.

Think for a moment. Who is really the least of the brethren in your mind? Is it the homeless guy or maybe someone who has caused you a lot of grief in your life? If someone betrayed, cheated, or hurt you, then perhaps he is a lesser person in your mind than someone down on his luck.

This puts a whole new dimension on this scripture. Yes, the least person in your mind is that person who has been a thorn in your side and irritates the dickens out of you.

Even though this person may aggravate you to new heights, he is still a child of God with the spark of God within him. If you want to find the Christ and soul within yourself, you must see it within him.

A Course in Miracles calls this person your savior because he is the ultimate test to looking within. If you can look within all others and see the Christ, then you can look within yourself and see Him also.

Does this mean you have to embrace someone who is dangerous or outright insulting?

No. The last lesson on the Lion Principle comes into play here. Just like you can see the positive life of God in a lion but keep your distance, you need to do the same with some people. You can keep your distance from obnoxious people, yet still see the Christ in them and ever be ready to assist them when they are sincere about improving themselves.

Your assignment today is to again visualize the most irritating person in your life, the person who is the least of humanity in your mind and see the Christ in him. Then say these words:

“I am thankful for the opportunity to see the Christ in you so I can discover Him in myself also.”

 

Day 48

I send goodwill to all

The seeker who passes through the barriers and contacts the inner loving God, must be loving himself. There are thee aspects to love which are:

Goodwill

Friendship

Love

Love is not complete until all three are embraced and practiced.

Today’s lesson is on goodwill.

We seem to live in a world where goodwill is not only lacking but deteriorating. There is an increasing division between the political left and the right, and hatred from both sides is on the increase. To withhold goodwill from a brother or sister because they have different political views is an error in judgment indeed, and sends energy that holds the clouds in place between the seeker and his soul.

If we want to commune with the inner God then we must be like God as Jesus advised:

“for he (God) maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Matt 4:45-48

God gives out the sunshine and the rain to all no matter who they voted for, and we must do the same. And if we just show love to those who think the way we do then we are no better than the crooked publicans in the days of Jesus, for even the worst of us show goodwill to those who accept us.

We live in a time where there is hatred, anger and violence toward others who merely are deemed to have a wrong opinion. Others are trying to limit the freedom to speak anything contrary to accepted mindset. Let he who seeks the freedom of the kingdom of the soul not participate. Where others send hate, you send goodwill. Where others are angry, you be at peace. Where others threaten, you remain harmless.

In the past, religion seemed to be the central cause of division and hatred with many subjecting those with out-of-the-mainstream opinions to torture and death. While there is still some intolerance in religion, the main focus of division has shifted to politics. The reason for this is that governments have become a larger influence over our lives than is religion. Presently, religion for most is something that occurs in the background of consciousness, whereas many are now consistently focused on what government is going to do for them.

If a person thinks that an opposing view will assist in taking away what he wants from government, then he will be tempted to lean toward anger and hate instead of goodwill and love.

The seeker must seek to free himself from the outer gods of Caesar, government and religion and, standing free, he can send forth goodwill to all, for none can interfere with the freedom of the soul.

Your assignment today is to think of those with different opinions than yourself and see them as brothers and sisters. Send them positive thoughts of goodwill.

Now let us be specific. Pick the people who are furthest from your belief system from this list: Presidents Obama or Trump; Rush Limbaugh or Nancy Pelosi; Ann Coulter or Rachel Maddow. You can add to this list if you like, especially if you live outside the United States.

If hate and loathing wells up within you when contemplating some of these people, then that is a sign there is work to do to reach the soul wherein dwells the pure love of Christ.

Practice several times during the day sending goodwill to all no matter how different they may think from yourself.

PS: Be sure to include that irritating neighbor or family member.

 

Day 49

I extend friendship to all

Friendship is the second quality expressed in the triangle of love aspects.

A good friend is indeed a pearl of great price and will be there for you for life. Many think they have found the love of their life, yet the relationship deteriorates and they separate, but the faithful friend remained. Lovers come and go, but a good friend never departs. This illustrates that when you do select a mate, pick one who will also be a friend. If you have passionate love, spiritual love plus friendship, then you have discovered a great treasure indeed.

Most of us have a handful of good friends who we trust and confide in. Such people make life a little easier and hopeful, but the principle of friendship goes beyond this.

To be a friend of God one must be a friend to all of His children. Now all of us realize that we only have time for a handful of intimate friends with whom we share time and experience, but the principle of friendship extends beyond our close relationships.

To be a friend to all does not involve barbecues and entertainment but it does mean that you are willing to be friendly to all who are willing to accept your extended hand. And like yesterday’s topic of goodwill which is extended to all, so is the hand of friendship.

The seeker who wants to pierce the veil between him and his soul must not look out into the world and divide the people into those deserving of his friendship and those who are not. Extend the hand of friendship no matter what religion, political view or personality flaws they may have.

This doesn’t mean you will spend time with them in a “best friend” situation, but merely means that you are showing a willingness to be friendly.

Now if you extend friendship, or friendliness and they reject you merely because of some personality issue such as who you voted for, then the lack of friendship is on their shoulders, not yours.

A true disciple will be friendly in season and out of season, in times of stress and peace, in times of success or failure. It is our duty as servants to extend friendship and helpfulness to all who are willing to receive.

One may wonder about the wisdom of extending friendship to dangerous or violent people.

It doesn’t matter who they are. We should be friendly to all when interplaying with them, but for some it is wise to keep one’s distance. Again, the lion principle, discussed earlier, comes into play.

Your assignment today is to pick the political person who you loathe the most. Again it could be Presidents Obama or Trump; Rush Limbaugh or Nancy Pelosi; Ann Coulter or Rachel Maddow. Pick someone with whom you disagree strongly. Now imagine meeting this person in a nice restaurant and dining with him or her. Then imagine yourself being very friendly and receiving goodwill in return. Imagine the dinner ending with you both enjoying each other’s company.

 

Day 50

I will find my brothers

The principle of brotherhood includes not just the male sex but both of them. The word refers to a camaraderie in relationship and has been used by female spiritual teachers as well as males. Female teachers who have used the word inclusive of both sexes include Alice A. Bailey, H. P. Blavatsky, Mary Baker Eddy, Helena Roerich, Annie Besant, and Helen Schucman of A Course in Miracles fame.

Here is a quote from A Course in Miracles:

“The miracle acknowledges everyone as your brother and mine. It is a way of perceiving the universal mark of God.”

A brotherhood is created by a shared experience, belief or thinking and it comes in various degrees. In the broadest sense we are all brothers because we are all children of the One God. Because of this brotherhood we can see even difficult individuals as part of a great family who will eventually find their way home.

Many other brotherhoods exist. A sports team often has great camaraderie and brotherhood as well as a military unit. There is also strong brotherhood in close-knit religions and various groups. There is even brotherhood among groups we may consider evil such as terrorists and street gangs.

Brotherhood is a very cohesive force bound together by shared purpose and experience. Those in the brotherhood understand each other in a way that outsiders cannot.

There is another brotherhood that is not recognized by the masses because it has no visible organization. This brotherhood is composed of those who have a measure of soul contact. Shared soul contact is the ultimate brotherhood experience for most humans.

One who has achieved soul contact can recognize a brother who has had the same experience.

There are degrees of soul contact and a brother can recognize someone who has attained the same degree as himself or less. He can feel the soul stimulation from someone of a higher degree, but there may not be a full sharing or understanding.

Taking this course is a sign that you are reaching out to the soul and spirit within and most probably have felt inner guidance from time to time. This means you have a brotherhood of like minded souls out there who have gone through many of the same spiritual experiences you have.

Your assignment today is to contemplate all the people in your life and let your consciousness rest on those with who you feel spiritually compatible. Think of those who have either stirred your inner spirit because they seem further along the Path or those who are similar to yourself in consciousness. In quiet meditation link up to one, two and then three different individuals and feel the love circulate creating the wonderful feeling of brotherhood.

If you can feel the fires of love you have moved closer to full soul contact.

If possible visit with one of these individuals and renew your friendship.

Copyright by J J Dewey

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The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact, Part 4

Day 31

I will see beyond the physical

Here’s an interesting quote from Sherlock Holmes played by Robert Downey Jr. in 2009

Lord Blackwood : Sherlock Holmes. And his loyal dog. Tell me, Doctor… as a medical man, have you enjoyed my work?

Watson : Let me show you just how much I’ve enjoyed it. [starts towards Blackwood]

Holmes : Watson, don’t! [Holmes stops Watson a few feet from Lord Blackwood, then looks at Blackwood’s hands] Observe…

[Watson looks down to see there is an almost imperceptible thin glass needle with a sharp point less than a foot from where they stand]

Watson : How did you see that?

Holmes : Because I was looking for it. [breaks the needle]

Now Watson had every bit the ability to see everything that Holmes could see, but did not see it. Why? Because he was not looking for it.

Holmes did see the deadly needle. Why? Because he was looking.

There are many things that we could see with our physical eyes, as well as the eyes of understanding if we were willing to look. If one does not look or is unwilling to look he will not see.

There are many things the seeker could see but it has just not occurred to him to look. The normal range of vision is just accepted as all there is so why try and see more?

The fact is you can see more with both your physical as well as your spiritual eyes. I’m going to give you a couple exercises today that will increase your faith in seeing.

Exercise One

Sit back in your chair, look around your room and find a light colored background. A wall or ceiling is fine. If there is not one where you are go to a room that has such a background.

Place your hands together so the tips of your thumbs are touching each other. Now hold your hands up about a foot from your eyes in your line of vision between you and the blank wall or ceiling. Next, slowly separate your thumbs until there is about a quarter inch of space between the tips. Just as you start to separate your thumbs focus intently on the empty space between them. After you attain the quarter inch of space continue to look at that empty space. As you look you will see a bluish or gray film that extends about a millimeter or two from your thumbs. You are now seeing your etheric body, the double of your physical.

If you do not see it at first keep looking at the empty space, letting your mind go blank, tuning out the physical. Most people will begin to see it after a minute or two.

Etheric vision works best when you use the principle of “not seeing” that was covered in the last lesson. Tune out the physical and just look at the empty space and etheric vision will manifest.

Exercise Two

Find another person and have him or her stand perfectly still in front of a light colored wall.

Stand or sit a few feet away and stare intently at a single point on the person’s forehead. Do not take your eyes off this point for at least a full minute. You must focus without deviation and the subject must remain perfectly still.

Then after a minute has passed have the person walk away but your eyes must not follow but continue to look at that same location of space.

As you now look you should see an after image impressed on your eyes of the etheric body. Because you focused on the head that will be most visible, but usually you can see the whole light body.

If you are sensitive you will see the light varies in intensity in different parts of the body. If the person is ill or depressed he will have dark patches in key places.

If you have successfully accomplished these two exercises (and most do) then you have taken an important step.

And what is that?

It is that you have proven to yourself that the world’s assumed limitations on seeing are not correct. You have just seen something you are not supposed to be able to see that exists beyond the physical.

What does this tell you?

It tells you that this may be the tip of the iceberg in new seeing. Maybe there are many other things to see that you have missed just because it did not occur to you to look.

Indeed, there are many things.

The assignment today is to ask yourself this question and reflect on the answer.

What other things are there that I am not seeing with both my physical and spiritual eyes? Can I bring more of the invisible into focus by using the principle of not seeing?

 

Day 32

I am extending my vision today

If you successfully applied the last lesson you proved to yourself that you can see beyond the physical world with your physical eyes. Some type of inner or spiritual vision was not even necessary. They say seeing is believing, so even a non believer at this point, if he is honest with himself, will have to admit what he has seen.

This is just the beginning to what you can see that is beyond the physical. The etheric physical double is fairly easy to see for those who look, but finer grades of matter are more difficult.

The next step is to see the light from the aura, which is strongest about six inches to a foot from the body. The step after this is to see the colors in the aura.

It takes about seven times the focus to see the aura as it does to see the etheric film that extends a millimeter or so from your body. Not many can see the aura on the first attempt but most can after a period of dedicated practice. You may see colors today if you are more sensitive than most, but there is a good chance many can see some astral light.

Here’s the new exercise.

Again select a volunteer, but this time have him or her sit in a chair a few feet in front of you. If you do not have a volunteer then you can use yourself by looking in a mirror. Yes, the auric light reflects in a mirror.

Now pick a spot about three inches above the volunteer’s head. If you are looking in the mirror remain very still and pick a point about three inches above your head.

Now stare at that empty point with the attitude of mind that you are not seeing your physical body but will see whatever else is there.

Focus for up to ten minutes or until you see a light or colors beyond the body. When you first see the auric light the tendency will be to stop focusing and pay attention to it. The moment you do this it will vanish. As soon as you first see the light you must maintain the attitude of not seeing. Create a state of mind that is not surprised and doesn’t care if you see anything or not. To continue seeing continue focusing as if nothing has happened.

About half of you should see something on the first couple attempts. The other half can see also if they continue to practice. If students practice regularly all should be able to see auras by the end of this course.

Let me tell you what you can see if you practice extending your vision.

After you see the light of the aura you will start to see beautiful neon-like colors. The colors will extend around six inches from the body and will reflect the mood, intelligence and spiritual focus of the person. I will not go into the meaning of all the colors as they are readily available through other sources.

If you continue to practice seeing you will see that a higher grade of matter extends further out and encases your body in somewhat of an egg shape. You will see that the outer matter circulates around your body making you correspond to a human atom with your body as the positive nucleus and the aura like the negative electrons.

Just like an egg has a film on its outward edge, just below the shell, your body has a film on it that acts as a receiver of your thoughts. As you think your thoughts are projected in geometric forms on this film and they dance around like images on a kaleidoscope.

These images are very difficult to see and require a lot of practice.

Beyond this the trained observer can see the etheric light behind all images, even inorganic ones and an aura of some kind around all living things.

Average humanity may look up in the sky and see points of light that are stars, but the dedicated observer can see a night that is full of light with the auras of stars interplaying with other stars in a divine relationship.

The point of this lesson is to stretch your mind into accepting that there is much more to see than standard vision reveals. And we have just covered what can be seen with the physical eyes (with a little help from inner vision). On the other hand, when focusing on inner vision and using the eyes of understanding there is much more that the student can see.

The important step at this point is to realize that you can see much more than general humanity has been led to believe.

Your assignment today is to practice seeing the aura as outlined and to reflect on this statement throughout the day.

“I am extending my vision today and will see that which was hidden in plain sight.”

 

Day 33

I will not see fear today

The lessons on seeing beyond the physical will be helpful for two reasons. First it proves to the student that there are things to see beyond this realm. It should add to one’s faith that there is more reality to see and contact. Perhaps the idea of contacting the soul, higher self, or God within does not seem so far fetched now.

The second helpful truth to be absorbed by the seeker is the principle of “not seeing.” This is very helpful in negating the great obstacle to soul contact, which is fear and its two associates worry and concern.

We were discussing the problem of fear but needed to digress to introduce this principle, which is essential to mastering it.

The goal with fear is not to eliminate it, but to take from it the power to have a negative effect on you. As long as we live in this material world with all the possibilities of loss all people are subject to some fear. Believe me, if you’re in a car and the driver is headed over a cliff you will have some fear.

The worst way for the seeker to handle fear is to deny its existence. Denial is a form of dishonesty and any type of deceit hinders the seeker in making soul contact.

Before fear, worry and concern can be mastered they must be seen for what they are.

Is it possible we could have a financial collapse, a nuclear war or great natural or personal disaster in the immediate future?

Yes.

Should we pretend that such events could not manifest?

No. That is the worst possible approach.

One should always be aware of all possibilities that may have an effect on him. Do what you can to prepare, but in many cases full preparation may be impossible. What should the seeker do then?

There are always things to worry about and most people give too much attention to their fears.

The key is to only put enough attention on fearful concerns to enable you to handle your life effectively. When you have done what you can then put all concerns out of your mind, not by denial, but by not seeing.

When you attempted to see the auric light you looked in the direction of the physical body, but not at it. You tuned out the physical by not seeing. If you succeeded it was as if the body was not there, but the aura was.

This approach may be used with fear and other negative emotions that need to be neutralized so the seeker can explore the inner world in peace.

There is no fear in the inner world of Spirit because there is no possibility of loss there. If therefore the seeker can bypass this world and see the inner world of perfect peace then fear, worry and concern will seem to be a part of some illusion going on in the background that is of no concern.

Shakespeare spoke correctly when he said:

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players”

When the seeker is on the stage he sees the possibility of loss and has to deal with fears and concerns. Many people never leave the stage and thus fear and worry are their constant companions.

The seeker learns to exit the stage when the participation is not necessary and thus obtain the peace and rest necessary to commune with his soul.

The assignment today is to contemplate this sentence throughout the day:

“I am exiting the stage and seeing peace in place of fear and worry.”

In addition when you get a chance to look in the mirror practice again seeing the auric light by looking at a point six inches above your head and not seeing your body.

 

Day 34

The victim is a victim of himself

The obstacles to soul contact that originate in the emotional body are many. We have already covered quite a few such as grievances, guilt, false gods, and fear. Another one high on the list is victimhood.

Many a seeker gets caught in this trap that forces his eyes away from the inner Spirit to the outer personalities, and away from the Inner Voice to the cacophony of the many outer ones.

The victim blames other people for his problems and then focuses outward where the blame seems to lie. This directs the attention away from the soul.

The reasons for blame are many. Here are some examples.

  • If the victim is irritated he blames someone else for causing it.
  • If the victim suffers loss he blames another for causing it.
  • A victim is outraged by apparent insults and blames another for his feelings.
  • A victim feels deserted and isolated if he does not get enough attention.
  • If the victim suffers ill health or pain, he will blame some cause out there, or God.
  • If the victim does not reach his goals then someone else is to blame.
  • When the victim makes mistakes he blames another.

That should be enough to give the reader the general idea.

Not all victims are a fit with all the examples given. Some just feel a victim in certain select areas of life while others seem to feel a victim in every way you can imagine.

Unfortunately, even a small amount of victimhood creates a barrier to full soul contact so the seeker needs to do a powerful self-examination and weed out such feelings.

One problem that seekers have with the victim mentality is, to the personality self-victimization is very easy to justify.

If feelings are hurt then it is easy to blame such feelings on some thoughtless statement made by an associate.

If loss is suffered it seems like someone else’s mistakes were really the cause.

A natural question at this point is this: Isn’t it the case that sometimes you are a real victim? Suppose someone just stole a large sum of money from Jim. Wouldn’t he be justified in claiming victim status here?

Often the person who feels a victim will blame others for his problems when the problem seems to onlookers to be mostly his fault, but there are other times, such in the example, where the problem does seem to originate from outside the victim’s control.

Even here, a little investigation may reveal the crime could have been avoided. Maybe the guy did not lock his door or just trusted someone without reason.

But let us suppose that a victim can state a circumstance that proves that he is a victim, that the problem is definitely the other guy’s fault. Is he then justified in feeling the victim?

He probably will be in his own mind, but feeling the victim, justified or not, still creates a barrier to soul contact

Is someone wrongs the seeker he must apply the principle of forgiveness and let it go.

He must “not see” the feeling of being a victim. He can do this with the realization that all apparent loss that tempts him to be the victim are temporary and not real whereas the Source of the inner voice is eternal and real. Sacrificing the real for the unreal makes no sense

Before the seeker can transcend the feelings of the victim he must discover them. A problem is that many who suffer feelings of victimhood do not admit to themselves that they have such feelings. If the feelings are not acknowledged then they cannot be eliminated. Therefore, the next step for the seeker is to examine himself and honestly determine whether or not any feelings of victimization reside within himself.

This is your assignment today. Reflect on your feelings and honestly determine if there are any ways that you see yourself as a victim.

Remember: “To thine own self be true.”

 

Day 35

I will face any feelings of victimization

If you attempted yesterday’s lesson you searched through your past and present to find examples where you took the role of a victim. If you are like most you were reluctant to admit any such cases. After all, a victim is seen as someone who is weak and none of us like to see ourselves as weak.

Even when playing the victim to the hilt the person usually does not see himself as weak and is unlikely to admit he is a victim for that reason. Instead of admitting being a weak victim he will see himself as a strong blamer and justified accuser. At least he would be very strong if those he blames would just get out of the way – he thinks.

This, as with all emotional blockages, is very difficult to pin down for what it is, for the feeling nature distorts and turns the truth upside down in his own heart so black is white and weak is strong etc.

Let us look at an example. Jack was in an accident that caused him to lose some work. He felt the insurance company owed him a large settlement so he retained an attorney and went after the largest amount possible. After the dust settled he received a payment, but not as much as he deserved. The injury involved his shoulder which was basically healed at this time but he got a doctor to say that there were still problems and so he legally pursued a larger settlement. This attack on the insurance company and pretending the shoulder was worse than it was went on for five years.

Because energy follows thought his shoulder did develop more problems and the final settlement Jack received only paid his legal expenses.

At this point Jack’s life was in shambles and he blamed the insurance company for all his woes. He was a strong person he told himself, but the insurance company not doing its job ruined his life.

Jack, who is a terrible victim of his own thoughts, does not see himself as a victim.

Now consider this. Jill had a similar accident with similar injuries and insurance coverage. She took the insurance offer which she thought was fair and rejected the advice of an attorney to emphasize her injuries and go after more money.

Within a month she was back at work and the shoulder had healed enough so any problem was negligible. The rest of her life was lived as if the accident had never happened.

The thought of being a victim never entered into her head but neither did she see herself as particularly strong. She just saw herself as someone making the best of her life using the cards that had been dealt.

Notice that Jack saw himself as the strong one, but was the real victim and suffered in quality of life.

Jill didn’t focus in being weak or strong, but just making the best of each situation as it came up. Jill in not trying to gain strength through blaming others was an example of true strength.

Of the two Jill was the one who was not placing blockages between herself and the soul.

There are two major difficulties for the seeker in discovering his victimhood. The first is that people do not want to see themselves as weak, even when they are participating in weakness.

The second is that the emotional nature distorts reality to conform with desire. Since most desire to be strong, the emotional self with distort the victimization to appear as strength.

Sometimes the seeker is too involved in distortion to get the truth from himself. That is why we have relationships. Sometimes others can reflect the truth back to us better than we can see it for ourselves.

The assignment today is to ask a friend, spouse or associate who knows you well whether or not he or she thinks you ever play the victim. If he thinks you do play the victim then hear him out and consider that there is some truth in what he says. Do not get upset.

Do this exercise with at least one person. Two or three would be even better but find at least one.

 

Day 36

I will find my blind spot

We all have a blind spot related to our physical eyes. Fortunately our mind compensates for this so we are not aware of it in normal living. It is easy to detect though. Note the R and L below and follow instructions.

 

R                                                   L

 

Cover your left eye and look at the R, move closer of further away to find where the L disappears. That location is where your optic nerve attaches to your eyeball and is where no visual information is processed producing a blind spot.

The Law of Correspondences holds true with the blind spot as it is duplicated in our feeling nature as well as our mental selves.

We’ve just finished talking about the victim mentality. Many such people have a blind spot about their playing the victim.

The alcoholic is another example of one who has a blind spot. The emotions are always involved in this and sometimes the mind. Many alcoholics who are in big trouble will just not admit they have a problem. Often times the only way they become convinced is when all their family and friends gang up on him and all relate, one by one, the same observation, that the guy indeed has an alcohol problem and it is ruining all his relationships.

Even this does not always work, but it does at times. When successful, the alcoholic finally faces the fact that so many voices saying the same thing cannot be entirely wrong.

Like the alcoholic we often resist, with great effort, any outside attempts to reveal our blind spot. Outside of our blind spot we may be geniuses, but within it we may appear to be blathering idiots to those who see truly and take pity on us.

Think of a friend or two who you know well, They may be very competent and self aware in almost everything, but if you think about it you will notice a blind spot – an area of their lives where awareness or intelligence seems to be lacking. This is easy to see in other people you know well, but difficult to see in yourself.

The blind spot is important to find because it often causes enough deception in your life to hinder soul contact.

Once it is found you can then just factor in this natural weakness and compensate for it with your strengths. Perhaps you have already done this, and perhaps not.

Your assignment today is to discover your blind spot. Reflect upon your life where people complained about mistakes or problems you made that did not seem like mistakes to you. Sometimes reflection is not enough and you will need he help of others. Again find a friend and explain that you are looking for your blind spot and ask him or her if he sees one in you.

Once you have discovered it then contemplate as to what you can do to compensate for it.

 

Day 37

I will reflect on effects before I criticize

Another trait that causes distance between the seeker and the inner voice is criticism. This is a very similar problem to being the victim as it causes the person to focus on problems without rather than himself. Energy follows thought and if the focus is on problems without the problems of within will not get the needed attention and personal corrections necessary. Soul contact will suffer interference.

This is one of the few personality flaws considered important enough for Jesus to address. He said:

“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

“Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Matt 7:3-5

Here Jesus tells us that many of those who are quick to criticize his brother are trying to correct a minor problem while they themselves cannot see clearly because their own vision is obscured with a much bigger problem in need of correction. The person in the example has a beam in his eye while trying to take a small sliver out of the other guy.

This is also related to the blind spot. The critic is oblivious to the fact that he has a much bigger problem than the guy he is trying to correct.

There are three major problems created by criticism.

First it places attention on a problem outside of oneself when a blind spot may be hiding a bigger problem with the person’s own personality.

Secondly, it places consciousness and energy away from the soul instead of toward it.

Thirdly, in most cases, the person being criticized is affected negatively, especially if he feels the criticism is not just. And even if the person knows the critic is correct he may harbor negative feelings just for being reminded of his flaws. Then too, it will not matter if the criticism is just or unjust if the critic delivers it in a harsh manner.

If the person being criticized has a negative reaction then he is likely to lash out which will create an emotional storm in the relationship. Such an emotional interplay will make soul contact much more difficult. Even if the seeker had it before the criticism, he is likely to find it greatly diminished afterwards and the only immediate cure is to make amends with his friend.

A question to consider is why is it that people are so sensitive to criticism? Rare is the time that you point out a flaw in a spouse, friend or associate that they smile with appreciation. They may hide their feeling of offense, but generally people are offended at any personal criticism.

Why?

The main reason is that pretty much all of us, think we are doing our best at handling life and when someone comes along and points out a flaw it is telling the individual that maybe he isn’t doing his best after all. Maybe he is a bigger failure than he thinks. It is human nature to not want to see ourselves in a negative light. On the other hand, most of us have no problem seeing negative attributes in others.

Another question that arises on this subject is when we should criticize. Sometimes it seems as if a correction is necessary.

Yes, there are times when a criticism is essential, but I would guess that nine out of ten of them are not. To know when to criticize is a knowledge had by few and is almost an art to do it correctly. If he person has soul contact then it is best to only criticize when one gets the go-ahead from the inner self.

If you do criticize try to work in some praise first and then give it to them gently. Here is a good approach: “You would really excel in this area if you polished off a few rough edges here.”

Before criticizing anyone the question to ask is whether it is necessary and would it do any good? When I ask myself this question I usually get a no and restrain myself.

Jesus makes the interesting statement that if we take the beam out of our own eyes we will then see how to correct our neighbor. When this vision is seen it usually does not involve any criticism that can be construed to be an attack. Maybe it will involve something liked buying the friend a book that will help him improve himself. A gift is appreciated much more than a criticism.

The assignment today is to reflect on three criticisms you have given in the past that produced negative results. Ask yourself if the various criticisms were necessary and what you could have done differently. Ask yourself if you criticized from the perspective of being superior rather than a sincere desire to help.

Now pay attention to yourself, not only today but through the whole week. You will be tempted to criticize several times. When the temptation comes ask yourself: Is this really necessary and is there another way to handle this problem?

Remember that those with access to the soul are slow to criticize and quick to give sincere encouragement.

 

Day 38

I will not let criticism control me

In addition to your criticism of others causing interference with soul contact, others criticizing you can have the same effect.

Criticism is hard to take, even when we know the critic is right, even when he has a sugar coated approach, even though he is a good friend or a loved one… Sometimes you would just as soon the criticism come from an adversary clearly out to get you so you can lash back at him with some justification.

The seeker needs to look at criticism much different than the average person. He should look at it as a spiritual exercise. Here is a guy letting you know of your faults and your emotional self feels hurt and wants to attack back or carry a grievance. Your emotional self feels that you are doing your best and do not deserve the criticism. If anything, you deserve a pat on the back.

Here your mind must take charge, tell the emotional self to calm down and look on this as an opportunity rather than a problem. If you can keep the emotional self in peace, even through an encounter with a harsh critic, then your spiritual muscles will be strengthened, allowing for less interference to soul contact.

On the other hand, if you take offense and harbor a grievance because of a criticism you have just placed one of the most impenetrable barriers between you and the soul. The seeker must not allow this to happen.

There are a number of ways people respond to criticism.

Some take offense at the slightest hint of wrongdoing and harbor negative feelings. These people are rarely at peace with their emotional selves.

Others try and take criticism well but then when the right buttons are pushed they will jump into full-fledged emotional turmoil.

A few have learned to minimize the effect of criticism by seeing it for what it is. If it is true then you have a chance to learn more about your flaws and can improve yourself. If it is unjust then it is meaningless and you just ignore it.

Lashing out and attacking back is not a desirable response, but there is something worse you can do. You can suffer in silence and hold a grievance. If you find yourself in this trap you must dispel the grievance through communication. Review lessons 8-14 for procedures on handling this.

It is difficult even for advanced souls to neutralize the negative effects of all criticism, especially if it comes from a loved one or someone respected. The solution to handling criticism is simple, but the application, in some circumstances is difficult.

Betty is a beginner in a yoga class and as the group is practicing a difficult posture the instructor points to Betty and jokes that she looks like a walrus struggling to stay on a piece of ice. The whole class laughs, but Betty does not think it is funny at all. She feels like ducking out of the class and running home crying. It takes all her strength to handle the situation with dignity, yet without retaining negative feelings.

Paul recently married the love of his life and everything seems to be going fine. One day they were watching TV where women were talking about the qualities in men they found attractive. One said that she loved a man with a harry chest. Paul’s wife’s face lit up and she nodded in agreement saying, “Yes, a harry chest has always turned me on.”

Poor Paul did not have a harry chest and thinking about her statement depressed him and hurt his feelings. His wife was oblivious to the effect of her words.

The truth is that as we go through life we are going to get hit with hurtful criticisms and statements. The seeker must learn how to neutralize them to maintain maximum soul contact. Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet, but I will give two pieces of advice.

First the seeker must make a definite decision to make a goal to neutralize all negative feelings caused by any criticism or personal attack.

Secondly, look at mastery of this as you would any skill. You improve by practice and application, Each time you receive a criticism that seems to effect your emotional body in a negative way see it as an exercise that will strengthen you by handing itb correctly

When the seeker reaches the point where he can take any blast of negative attack and remain in peace then he has made a huge step toward greater soul contact.

The assignment today is to think back on three different occasions where you received a hurtful criticism. How did you react? If you had it to do over would you handle then differently?

Be aware this coming week of any criticisms you receive and observe how your mind and emotions handle them. Give yourself a grade.

The important thing is to be aware that the negative feelings generated by criticism need to be neutralized and make it a goal to master them.

 

Day 39

I will see myself as I am

We have discovered that it is a precarious thing to criticize others and because of human nature any attempt at correction must be handled delicately.

We have also come to the realization that we, as individuals, do not like criticism either and the tendency is to either take offense or outright reject what has been offered.

This is a mistake. If the criticism concerns a personality flaw or some weakness in a work you are attempting then you should pay attention even if the person comes cross as extremely rude.

To just outright reject a criticism because it is not given in the right tone may cause you to miss an opportunity to see a flaw and move yourself forward to real accomplishment.

That said there are criticisms that are best to outright ignore, such as those dealing with clashes of beliefs. For instanced, if someone calls you stupid or ignorance because you voted for a different political candidate than he did he is grouping you with half the population that he is insulting. These type of insults generally offer no need for introspection.

On the other hand, a comment coming from a friend that deals with a specific flaw or problem concerning you as an individual should not be automatically discounted. If it rubs you the wrong way then your emotional self will feel like rejecting it, but then your mind must take over and say this, “I know this disturbs my feelings, but I need to ask myself if there is some improvement that I need to make in this area.”

I had a rude awakening when I was young that woke me up to becoming more open minded toward criticism.

When I was a teenager I loved the early sixties music. I used to memorize many of the songs (Del Shannon was my favorite) and sing them around the house. At the time I thought I had a great voice. When I listened to myself it sounded pretty good to me. In fact I thought I could sing the songs about as good as the original artists. What amazed me is that my Mom and Sister constantly complained about my singing. I could not understand this complaining and wrote it off as a lack of appreciation for modern music. I ignored them and kept on singing thinking that eventually they would learn to like the songs as I had.

My parents were divorced at the time and my Dad paid us a visit. He heard my singing and it was just too much for him. He felt a need to enlighten me. He borrowed a tape recorder from a friend and brought it home. In those days it was a novelty to have a tape recorder and up to that point I had never heard my singing voice played back to me.

He approached me with a mike and said: “Now sing that favorite song of yours.”

I was eager to hear my “beautiful” voice so I sang my favorite song ““Runaway” for the family. It demanded a falsetto so I thought I would really sound impressive.

After I finished the song my Dad played it back to me with a knowing grin on his face. I couldn’t believe my ears. I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. Surely the person on the tape couldn’t be me. This voice on the tape sounded terrible and when I hit the falsetto the whole family justifiably laughed at my strange attempt.

After listening to the tape no one had to yell at me to shut up again. My ego was taken down several notches and I realized the criticisms of my singing was justified after all.

This was a painful experience, but I am very glad it happened because I woke me up to he fact that one should consider the truth behind criticism, even if it is dealt out harshly.

What does this have to do with soul contact?

More important than eliminating personality flaws is to become self aware and that awareness of yourself be accurate. Any time you dispel an illusion you are taking one step closer to your true self. Once you see your outer self accurately you can then take steps to see the inner self correctly as well.

The assignment today is to ask these questions to yourself and reflect on the answers.

Do I see myself as I am or as I desire to be? Can I see myself through the eyes of others? Do I like what I see? Based in how others see me what corrections do I need to make?

 

Day 40

In place of excuses I will take responsibility

Another human characteristic strongly associated with the emotional self is the making of excuses. An excuse normally is an attempt to divert the reason for failure away from the cause (yourself) to something that is not the cause, but outside of yourself.

Again, excuses tend to place the attention on the outer world which takes attention away from the Inner Voice. You will find that those who are sensitive to soul contact will rarely make an excuse for failure, but will take full responsibility for their actions.

The number of excuses us humans can come up with are without limit. Perhaps the only real good that comes from them is that the art of imagination is used and amplified There are much better ways to put the imagination to use, however.

Let us look at a couple sample excuses:

“I failed the test because Bob paid me a visit and I had to spend some time with him.”

“I had the accident because a pretty girl smiled at me as I drove by and distracted me.”

“I don’t have time to study self improvement materials, as I have to work so hard to earn a living.”

“My business failed because the economy took a downturn.”

Notice that the one thing they have in common is the blame is always placed outside the individual, the one who is truly responsible.

Let us take that last excuse, for example. When you start a business you have to create and maintain it with the knowledge that there will be fluctuations in the economy. If it failed because of a downturn that is because you did not plan for the downturn, which always comes along every few years. During your good years you have to create a little cushion so you can weather the bad years. Then after the sparse season has passed many competitors will excuse themselves out of the market, opening up for greater opportunity during the next good season.

People who take responsibility are not only more sensitive to soul contact, but are likely to be much more successful than those who are very creative with excuse making.

Another benefit of taking responsibility is that people will enjoy your company. Those who make lots of excuses often grate on their associates who often will go out of their way to avoid them.

“But, aren’t there times when an excuse is valid?’ one may ask. “Sometimes things occur out of the blue for which a victim is not responsible.”

As you examine the failures and problems in the lives of individuals you will see that there was generally something the person could have done to avoid the situation. Ever so often it does seem that something beyond the control of the person happens that will provide a legitimate excuse. Here are a couple examples:

“My Internet connect went out so I couldn’t contact you.”

“An unexpected blizzard occurred so I couldn’t make the appointment.”

“The employee forgot to put us on the list so we don’t have a reservation.”

These are all credible excuses, but there is still a big difference on how things like this are handled by the one who takes responsibility and the one who does not. The responsible one will put minimal attention on the excuse and maximum on the original intent. For instance, on that last excuse he may say, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll make it up to you and we’ll go to an even better restaurant.” The excuse maker will just throw his hands up as if there is nothing he can do to rectify the situation.

Your assignment today is to reflect back on three failures you had in life. After you have identified them then reflect on past conversations where you have related these failures to others. When you told others about a failure did you also provide a great excuse that made it sound like you were a victim and the failure was not your fault and beyond your control?

Are you presently still making excuses when you should be taking responsibility? What changes can you make to eliminate false excuses?

Be honest.

Copyright by J J Dewey

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The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact, Part 3

Day 21

My first false gods

The first false gods in your life were your parents. Yes, I know that many parents were very good people with good intentions, but consider this. Before you were born you lived in a spiritual sphere where you were one with your soul, which shares a oneness with your true parent, who is God.

Your parents were the first ones who introduced you to a voice outside of yourself that was not God. Parents, even those with the best of intentions, are the first false gods that a person encounters in life.

Why are they false gods?

First because the words they implant in you, though they have some truth, also have numerous errors. Unlike the voice of God that dwells in you, the voice of your parents often leads you away from truth rather than toward it.

In saying this I am not condemning parents in any way. We chose this life to gain experience in a state that is separate from God, and in this separated state, as an infant, we have to be introduced to this world of illusion by those who are already in it. You chose the best possible parents for yourself to become your first outer gods. You thought that their virtues would be helpful, but their errors would be obvious enough to drive you to seek the real truth from the inner God.

We have all noticed that, as children age, they begin to challenge their parents and often instigate an outright rebellion.

One reason for this great questioning and challenging is that we are born with a desire to find the true source within which never fails. Children, who are fresh from the realms of Spirit, sense that the outer voices are not reliable and test them. Children doing this are seen as rebellious and are often punished, but many of them are just trying to find their True Parent and discover what It has to say.

During this stage the child hears many outer voices from friends, teachers, books, movies and famous personalities that drown out the inner voice. After a period of exploration the standard child selects the teachings of the outer gods it will follow. By the time they become adults most are solidified in the world of illusion and fixated on following outer gods rather than the one true God within.

As adults they often realize that their belief system and characteristics are much more like their parents than they imagined they would be during their rebellious period. This is because their rebellion just led them to other false gods that seemed to have more error than their parents, and there was no one to lead them back to their true Source. As adults, seekers just settle on the best that has been presented to them, and much of that generally comes from their parents.

The assignment today focuses on your parents. Contemplate all the things they attempted to instill in you and how much remains. Ask yourself:

  • How many of my spiritual beliefs are like my parents?
  • How much is my sense of right and wrong like my parents?
  • Was my career choice influenced by theirs?
  • Are my political beliefs similar to them?
  • Is my diet influenced by them?
  • Is my attitude toward money and success influenced by them?
  • Is whether I drink or smoke influenced by them?
  • Are the friends I select influenced by them?
  • Am I motivated to be like my parents or perhapsmaybe motivated to be different from them?

Now reflect in your mind on all the things you learned from your parents that you have now concluded are not correct. How did you come to these conclusions? Are you sure your conclusions are in harmony with the Inner Voice?

Next reflect on all the things you have accepted and applied in your life that you learned from your parents. Are you sure you are correct in doing this? After all, they were wrong in some things so maybe you are just extending their mistakes.

End this lesson with this affirmation:

“I will not extend the mistakes of my parents. I will find the truth that will set me free.”

 

Day 22

I will identify my outer gods

False outer gods are not demons seeking to do you harm. Instead, they are a substitute for the true God. To be a good substitute they have to fulfill the picture in your mind of what an outer god would be. You have always seen God as being so wise that it would be wrong to question Him. You have felt that God loves you, but has made some strict rules for your own good that would be wrong to violate. You feel that when God speaks that this is the last word and there is no more to be said. You feel that God is the strong and final authority.

In your early life, this strong and final authority is represented by your parents. Most start questioning this source as they enter their teenage years, but instead of dropping the outer god (when questioning parents) we humans look for a substitute. Instead of finding the true God, the pilgrim replaces one false god with another. The seeker must go through a number of false gods and reach numerous dead ends before he finds and trusts the true God within.

So what are the substitute gods that replace the parents?

They come in many forms. The new god may be a teacher, a coach, a friend, a celebrity, a political figure or philosophy.

Often the child will take up the religion of his parents, or sometimes find a new one. In this religion will be teachers and sacred books not to be questioned. For Christians that sacred book is the Bible. You are told by teachers that the Bible is the infallible word of God. Questioning it would be like questioning God Himself. The teachers will tell you what the words of the holy book mean, and to question their interpretation is to question the book which means you are questioning God.

It matters not what religion you join, you will find there are holy writings and those who tell you what they mean. Neither is the Living God, but because they take the place of God they become false gods.

“You say the Bible is a false god. That’s blasphemous,” says the objector.

To identify a false god does not mean that the replacement for god is evil or bad. Quite often it is something wonderful. For instance, the higher the quality the parents are, the more strongly will the child give godlike authority to them. The same goes for other people or a book. A book has to be very inspiring to become a substitute for God.

The Bible does not make itself a false god to the seeker, but the person himself does, and it matters not how pure and true are the words of a book, the teachers of the book make many errors in their presentations to you. Then you complicate things by coming up with wrong interpretations on your own.

Because of different interpretations of the Bible, we have around 43,000 different Christian churches, all giving various passages different meanings. Because humans are fallible none of those churches are 100% accurate in teaching truth from the Bible or any other source.

Perhaps the highest quality words ever spoken were by Jesus, but even His words are interpreted many different ways. For instance he said:

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Matt 10:34

Many think the sword here is merely his word but others think it is an actual call to go to war.

How then do you know what is true when passages can be interpreted many different ways?

Most go to the authorities who teach and will tell you what God really meant. The seeker thus goes through numerous false gods without before he finds the true God within.

Your assignment today is to trace your own journey through false gods after you broke way from the authority of your parents. Did you yield final authority to teachers, friends, a book, a philosophy or what?

Do false outer gods still have more authority over you than the inner voice?

At this point many will claim to be free from outer gods who are not free at all, so here the seeker must examine himself with total honesty.

 

Day 23

Words hide truth as well as reveal

Part of the plan for our material existence is to develop an understanding of what it would be like to be separate from the true God. Then when we fully return we will have a greater appreciation of our true home. A fish in water doesn’t appreciate the life-giving essence that surrounds it. But if it were to spend a few minutes out of water starving for oxygen, it would quickly gain an appreciation for its watery home and wish to return.

In this world we are like fish out of water, for the spiritual life with God that permeated us before our separation is where we instinctively feel we belong, but know not how to return.

In seeking to immerse ourselves in the waters of universal Spirit again we seek the way. The true Source is hidden within us and because we do not see it with our physical eyes (on which we now depend) we deceive ourselves into looking for God without in images that can be seen.

The first images that capture our attention are our parents, and this is followed by numerous other sources seen with the eyes. Finally, as we age, we settle on gods who seem comfortable to us. But after settling, the fullness is lacking, and you tell yourself that this is just the way it is in this mortal existence. In life after death the real joy with God will be achieved.

Thus humans are deceived into settling for false gods who give no life and wind up missing the connection with the true God in this life. They settle for living in a starved condition for a few years out of the waters of the Spirit, thinking that this uncomfortable situation is just something they just have to endure until returning to the waters of Spirit after death.

In this the seeker is deceived, for he has forgotten his Source and has been captivated by a great illusion. A magician will trick you into focusing on the right hand when the truth is in the left hand. Humans have been tricked into looking for God in images seen with physical eyes when the truth is hidden within.

These images without create words with illusion in them. These words have the effect of making you focus your attention in one place when the truth is somewhere else.

Just as part of what a magician shows you is true as represented, other parts of the trick are not. Even so, as you register words from outer gods some will be true as represented and some will not.

Rather than judging truth from error the tendency is to go with a black-and-white meaning affirmed by an outer god. This is like believing the magician when you think the card is in the obvious place. Instead, its true location is a surprise.

There is truth in all words, even words that compose a willful lie. More difficult to see is truth in words that are deceptive, but presented with sincerity as the truth.

Every day you hear words that seem true, but are not true as presented. Even so, behind even the most obvious lie is some truth. For instance, if someone tells you the sky is green and you perceive correctly you will see that the truth behind the words is that the sky is not green. The words conveyed an illusion, a trick.

Today you will be exposed to many words and some will bring truth to your mind while others will lead your attention to the wrong place and deceive you like a magician.

Your assignment today is to examine closely the words you hear or read. As you take in the various phrases and sentences ask yourself, “Am I seeing the real truth in these words? Am I missing something? What is it that I am not seeing? What more is there to see and understand?”

The seeker who desires greater communion with the soul must see the spirit and intent behind all words.

 

Day 24

I will trust the Inner Voice over the outer

The way you see it, your life has been a mixture of good and bad. Naturally, you seek to neutralize the bad and hold to the good as much as possible. In seeking to keep the good that is in your life you seek to strengthen the source of that good. You have often attributed that source to the outer gods you hold dear. Giving your outer gods credit for the good in your life has created a problem. It causes many seekers to look on to their outer gods as their rock to follow and ignore their true source, the voice of God that speaks within.

Think for a moment on why so many ignore the inner voice and follow the outer. What is the real reason?

The answer is simple. It is fear.

Why would anyone fear the real voice of God?

I can personally trace the answer to me way back to my teenage years when I first started attending church. After a Sunday school class a number of us boys got together and shared some conversations before heading home. We started talking about the Second Coming of Jesus and how different everything would be when that occurred.

Then one of the boys said this: “I hope He doesn’t come for a long time because there’s a lot of things I want to do in life first.”

Everyone else nodded in agreement. I could tell they all felt the same way.

In other words, these boys had certain things that they saw as their present and future “good” that was granted to them by their current gods, and any appearance of a true God or messenger would spoil it for them. They expected Jesus to be a “Debbie Downer” who would deprive them of all the good things in their life.

They feared an appearance of Jesus and didn’t want him to show up in their lives.

The same principle applies with seekers when making the choice between the inner and outer god. Many fear that true spiritual contact will guide them in such away that all the fun will be gone and a boring existence will be their lot.

“Better the devil you know than the one you don’t” is the guiding principle for many. The outer gods promise spiritual bliss after death, but allow you to go your merry way (with a few restrictions) during life.

The thought of the switch from the outer to the inner brings fear of change to many for they are not certain what that change will be. Few will admit they have a fear of relying on the inner voice, but the fact that the outer is almost always chosen over the inner shows that the fear is there. Few are willing to honestly face and dispel it.

At this point it is important that the seeker realize that the inner God is not like the strict step parent that doesn’t let you have any fun. It is the outer gods who are the strong authorities. The inner God is like a kind parent who allows the child to have its fun. Even if you do wild and crazy things, the true Parent just sits back and relaxes until you come to your senses and are willing to listen.

Then, when the true voice speaks, it leads you to new vistas of existence and experience. The true path leads to great adventure, the furthest thing from boredom.

You can find the true voice and the true path, for they are equally available to all. Rest assured the reward is worth the effort.

Your assignment today is to merely think about preparing your mind and heart for greater revelation, not from without, but within yourself. Read the following and think on it throughout the day.

If you follow the highest you know there will come a time when you will be visited by a Presence, either visible or invisible. It will come at a time that you least expect it and a time when perhaps you feel the least prepared spiritually, but it will come.

To dream and wish for the experience will only delay the happening. But if you take the highest you know and go forward in the vineyard of the Master and serve with no end in sight, in season and out of season, in good times and bad; if you serve with love in the dark of night with the same strength as in the light of day; if you continue with loving service through the fiery darts of hate, malice and betrayal; and above all, if it appears that even your Master and your God seem to completely ignore you as if you do not exist…

Through all this you will continue to serve with the highest you know. You continue even if God himself seems to be your enemy putting every obstacle possible in your path and laughing at you as you stumble and fall. You rise up and continue. The time comes that it will not seem to matter to you any more if friends, God or the Masters approve of you or not. It matters not if you are some great chosen one or are looked upon by the Master as the least and most needy of the brethren. You will now serve for the sake of selfless love alone because the need is out there and you sense the need.

When this stage is reached within yourself, one of the Great Ones will take notice and speak: “Behold, the servant! He has become as one of us. Let us invite him into the circle of higher friendship, brotherhood and service.”

But even here the invitation comes not as you expected. All your expectations are shattered and soon replaced by newer ones, and the groping in the dark is replaced by walking the path with vision. The reward for your selfless service is sight and as you see the path ahead your heart is filled with joy, for that which you see is not what you imagined, but more than you imagined.

 

Day 25

I will begin the journey home

The parable of the prodigal son illustrates very concisely our journey away from the true God into the realm of false ones. It reads as follows:

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Luke 15:11-32 New International Version

The father here represents the one true God, or spiritual parent who loves us and wants what is best for us. Even so, He honors our desires even if they should lead to a precarious journey on our part. We only learn through following through on our choices.

The younger son asked for his inheritance, which he took, and journeyed to a “distant country.”

This distant country represents this earth life where the lives thereon seem to be separated from God. They appear to live beyond the reach of their Source. For many it seems that God either does not exist or is beyond reach.

Next we are told he “squandered his wealth in wild living.” Wealth here represents the gifts and powers of God that we all have inside of us, but we have lost our recollection as to their correct use. In our ignorance we squander our natural powers very carelessly.

Next it says: “After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.”

We have spent everything by giving away our power to false gods. This created a spiritual famine where it seems that the false gods have all the power and we have none unless some is given to us.

It continues:

“So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.”

In his needy situation he hired himself out to a “citizen.” This represents the false god of his choice. The pigs represent the lower desire nature. All he received from the false gods was a feeding or stimulation of his lower nature, which is separated from God. In that situation the best he could think to do for himself was to eat with the pigs, or yield to the lower nature.

After a time (actually a very long time) the son came to his senses and tapped into that inner knowing that he has a true home and spiritual parent who loves him. The famine created by the false gods drives him on a quest to return home, yield to the true God and take whatever He is will willing to give.

Next we have a key passage in this parable:

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

Before the son made it home and was still “a long way off,” the Father saw him. This tells us that the Father had never ceased looking and waiting for the return. The son did not have to journey all the way home before he met the Father’s welcoming arms.

The most important part of our journey home is to realize that the false gods give us no real spiritual food, and following them only produces a famine in our lives. When we reject their authority and seek the true God within us, then the waiting Inner Life responds and welcomes us.

When “the veil of the temple is rent in twain” and the son returns, he is accepted back into full sonship.

Our many mortal lives have been a tough experience, but in many ways we are wiser than the ones who stayed with the Father and never left His presence. We have learned to have compassion toward others who make mistakes. This is a quality had by the Father, but lacking in the first son.

The assignment today is to reflect on this parable and see yourself in it. See that you have traveled to a distant country and have gone through a spiritual famine, but now desire to return home. As you seek your true Father, see Him as one waiting for you to begin the journey. Focus deep within your heart and feel His presence waiting for you..

 

Day 26

False gods are sustained by desire

The difference between the false gods and the true is that the false ones speak to your desires. Everything the false gods tell you is geared to accommodating your desires, what you expect and what you want.

The difference between the two gods is like the difference between bad parents and good ones as far as diet goes.

The bad parents will give the kid lots of sweets and junk food because the kid likes them. The child may have heard from some sources that these foods are bad for you, but he is not concerned. He likes those foods and wants more of them. He is happy to have a parent who gives him what he wants.

Then later in life the child suffers many illnesses and is in great pain. He learns through suffering that the indulgent parent did him no favors.

The good parents, on the other hand, want what is best for the child in the long run. They give the child nutritious natural foods. Sometimes the child complains when he sees that his friends get lots of candy and junk foods, but after a while the child discovers that the taste of the wholesome foods are superior after all. As he matures he discovers that the healthy foods offer the best of everything. Most importantly he stays healthy and productive throughout his life.

Just like the child who thought his junk food was good, even so does the seeker become captivated by false gods who cater to his desires. He is given many false teachings that seem good, but, like junk food, the result of these teachings ends in an unhealthy spiritual condition . Near the end of his life he finds his spiritual condition is sadly lacking in fulfillment. He trusted the false gods and they did not deliver.

On the other hand, the seeker who has discovered the true God receives good spiritual food throughout his life. He never feels weak, alone or abandoned, for the presence is always with him; and if he follows the inner guidance he will always have a sense of fulfillment and feel like he is headed the right direction.

Your assignment today is to examine your life and get a sense of how much you have been nourished by the false gods or the true. Do you feel spiritually malnourished; do you suffer frustration, grief, loneliness and pain? If so, perhaps you have given more weight to the false gods than you realize. The true God wants to relieve you of all distress and nourish you with eternal manna and waters of life so you will not hunger and thirst again.

Ask yourself: how can I release all the hold of the false gods and let them go so I can embrace my true Mother and Father God that dwells within? What desires do I have that are still nourished by the outer gods? How do I let them go?

Do not despair, help is on the way.

 

Day 27

I will find the source of my fears

Fear is a tool used by the false gods to maintain their power. They have great fear that resides in them, and because fear controls them, they see fear as a means of control of others.

The false gods fear the fires of hell for themselves and, realizing how controlling this fear is, use it to control others.

They thus convince their followers that God is a stern father, willing to send you to an eternal and painful hell at the slightest infraction. If you were to die today you would probably go there. On the other hand, if you listen to and obey the false gods you just may enter heaven at death. This promise is only valid if you listen and obey for your entire moral life.

Other false gods promise you salvation now from a future hell if you accept their version of truth, but still the seeker is not at peace, for many of his family and loved ones have not accepted, are not saved and are doomed to hell. How can one be at peace when he is saved but loved ones are not?

Think of the movie The Titanic where Rose was saved, but Jack was not. Rose’s heart ached with the pain of separation for the rest of her life. Who wants to suffer such a painful separation for eternity?

The most obvious false god is the tyrannical leader who can punish you right here on the earth. He can put his subjects in hell through threat of imprisonment, torture or death.

Less obvious false gods are those who are heads of groups or organizations. These often use fear of being shunned or rejected to force their subjects to conform to the mindset.

False gods have designed many cunning ways to control their flocks, and their control extends beyond believers in God, including the hardened atheist and doubter. All have fear that is seen as a lever for control.

Most of those taking this course have some type of belief in God and can now see that the fear of God and His plan has been a tool the false gods have used in an attempt to control them.

The problem generated by this fear from false gods is that a great barrier has been created between the seeker and the true voice within. Your fear has diverted your attention away from the true and toward the false. Fear is a tremendous attention getter. Hitler was feared by his subjects and when he spoke they paid attention, and because of fear, did not dare cross him.

In seeking the true God the seeker disturbs the power of the false gods and they seek to lash out. He thus must face his fears and proceed through the barrier to the true God no matter what the consequence may be.

Your assignment today is to examine all of your fears related to God. Are you afraid of hell or divine punishment? Are you afraid that God is disappointed in you? Are you afraid of death, pain or disease?

Where did these fears originate? How can you go through the barrier into the loving arms of God who will replace fear with the peace that passes all understanding?

 

Day 28

I will understand why I fear

Fear is caused by a concern over loss. In the higher mansions of God there is no such thing as loss as we understand it here. The only loss that becomes possible in the eternal realm happens when entities decide to separate themselves from Spirit by entering the sleep of illusion in the worlds of form.

In this world there seems to be many things we can lose that can lead to fear. At the top of the list are concerns over the physical body. Humans are concerned about a loss of health, a loss of looks, a loss of function, a loss of memory and ultimately a loss of life in the body.

We are also concerned about resources that sustain the body such as money, food, housing, clothes, etc. If our access to any of these is threatened there is generally fear that follows.

Consider how many of your fears would disappear if you did not need your physical body, but instead had power to create an invulnerable body by the power of your thought. Imagine such a body that could take on any appearance, could not be harmed and could move between spirit and matter at will.

If you had such a body you could live under the most tyrannical dictator and have no fear for he could not harm you. Neither could he put you in prison, for you could walk through the walls. The tyrant would fear you in this situation.

You would not need food, transportation or clothing. Your looks would not fade for you could project any image you desired.

When you think of it, it is quite amazing how many fears are linked to maintaining our bodies.

In addition, there are fears that are not directly linked to the body. A big fear generated by false gods is that of an angry god who has power to obliterate your body and soul to blink you out of existence. Using this fear, they maintain control over their flock. Then the prospect of an eternal fiery hell generates another fear.

In life we have the fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of loss of love and lost opportunities. All that is unknown opens the door to many fears for possible loss.

Imagine how different your life would be if you had nothing to fear because there was no chance you could lose.

Around this idea Pastor Robert Schuller asked this question:

“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”

For this treatise we could word it:

“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not lose, or had nothing to fear?”

The skeptic may say that there is always a possibility of loss that has to be taken under consideration. One may attempt to start a business, but there may be a financial collapse tomorrow that could shatter his dreams. Then there are other things. He could suffer an accident, ill health or even get struck by lightening. Such a fear of loss keeps many people from attempting to fulfill their dreams.

Other teachers have said that fear is to be overcome with the realization that this world is illusion, therefore it does not exist. Thus, our fears are not real and do not exist.

This sounds good in theory, but misses the mark in application as believers in this idea are still concerned about loss in this world.
Who among us would not have some concern or fear if he were in danger of losing his job that takes care of the needs of his whole family? Who would not have some fear or concern if he were told he had an incurable disease and others would have to take care of him for years to come?

In our reality the temptation to fear is great and few have mastered it. The big problem with fear is that it creates a barrier between the seeker and the true God within. That contact must be made in state of peace.

The assignment today is to reflect on what you can do to master fear so you can be at peace. Here are a few questions for consideration.

(1) Do I just need to realize that fear is illusion and not real?

(2) Should I suppress the fear or even deny that it exists?

(3) Should I confront my fears?

(4) Should I keep moving toward my goals despite my fears?

(5) Should I just take my attention away from sources of fear?

 

Day 29

I will shift my focus to Spirit

To access the Voice of God within, the seeker must be in a state of peace, undisturbed by fear or deep concerns. The question is, how is this to be accomplished when our very survival in this world forces us to focus on our many concerns. In addition to this, most have the added burden of assisting others who depend on them. After all, many sincere seekers have more fears related to letting down loved ones than of caring for their own needs.

Think back on the many movies you watched where the brave hero had little fear for his life as he confronted the bad guys, but then melted in fear after they captured and put a gun to the head of a loved one.

Fortunately, most of us do not encounter such extreme situations, but a loving parent still gets a taste of such fear when he is short on funds and feels he cannot take care of loved ones – or maybe has a sick child that he seems powerless to help.

Indeed there are dozens of situations we all face that call us to express concern and fear that seem to be great barriers to peace. Then, when one is at a low ebb, his peace may be disturbed by something quite trivial. Many seekers are somewhat ashamed of themselves for allowing themselves to be disturbed over small things. An upset over a small thing can create the same barrier to peace as an upset over a big thing.

If the strategy of the seeker is to wait for all concerns to pass so he can then obtain the peace, he will be waiting forever. As long as the attention is on this world there will always be concerns that can generate fear, and thus reinforce the barrier between the seeker and the kingdom of God within.

What, then, is to be done? After all, everyone but maybe a naked hermit living in the woods has to pay attention to his life in this world.

Here is the principle that needs to be absorbed:

There are two worlds, the material and the spiritual. If your focus is on the material the spiritual will be away from your consciousness, almost as if it did not exist.

If your focus is on the spiritual, the reverse will be true. It will be as if the material world does not exist and a deep peace will settle in.

The first focus is easy and everyone does it. The second is more difficult and requires a decision supported by the strength of will.

The seeker indeed must take care of business in the material world, but the secret is to only focus there as needed. Most people put much more focus in the world of illusion than required. For instance, if you have a problem at work, what good does it do to think about it all evening when you are a home and can do nothing about it?

To shift to a maximum amount to the spiritual world you must see yourself as the observer, as if watching a movie as you handle the cares of the world. Then when you have taken the steps to handle your problem, shut the movie off and focus on the real world of Spirit.

All have power, even in the midst or turmoil, to shift focus to the inner world and partake of the peace of God.

Your assignment today is to practice shifting your attention between the two worlds. Try once an hour to put your mind on hold and see the whole material world as a dream that has no effect on you. Then, for a minute or two, feel your consciousness shifting to the inner world. You will know you have achieved some success when you feel at peace.

The more distracting the circumstance you find yourself in, the more powerful will be the result of this exercise. Of course, use common sense in keeping enough attention on this world to avoid accidents.

 

Day 30

I will not see the material world today

So, how did you do with yesterday’s exercise? You were supposed to take a minute or so every hour and tune out the physical and focus on the inner world of Spirit. If you are like most people you were too distracted to do it more than twice. Most likely you thought about it after you read the assignment and then forgot about it.

Why did you forget?

Because you are extremely focused on this world and all the cares within it.

To commune with the soul you have to be as focused on the inner as the outer. You have to put yourself in a state of mind that is beyond the fears and cares of the world. Yes, you cannot be there all the time for you have to take care of the business of living with its responsibilities, but there is more time available than you realize. You know you have wasted much time in your life that could have been available for important pursuits. There is nothing more important than finding your Eternal Source so let us make priorities.

The problem is that you cannot see two worlds. If your focus is on the material then that is all you will see. On the other hand, if you really make the shift all you will see is the spiritual.

Yes, after the shift has been made your eyes and other senses will still take in perceptions, but your mind will be focused elsewhere. For instance, as I type these words my mind is not on the computer or keyboard even though my eyes take in the images. My mind is on the spirit in the words.

Remember how you often daydreamed when you were a kid? You probably still daydream some, but not like you did as a child. As a child you let your imagination go and sometimes it was so real that the outer world seemed to fade away to be replaced by what your mind created. When you were in this state of high imagination none of your thoughts were on anything happening in he physical world. You had no concerns for this world because you were seeing another world.

Even so must we become as a little child to enter the kingdom of heaven, but instead of seeing imaginary characters as a goal we will seek the end result of seeing the kingdom of God.

To see the greater reality you have to tune out the lesser one. This is a process of “not seeing” or unseeing.

To not see when you are used to using your eyes to see is, at first, much more difficult than it is to see. But if you look ahead of you and not see the images in front of you then you will see something else. You will always be seeing something, even if it is with the eyes of the understanding. You can never not see everything, but you can not see what is in the normal spectrum. When there is a vacuum in seeing your inner self will fill the vacuum with something else to see. What that turns out to be can be quite interesting.

If you successfully not see the physical world you do not automatically see the realms of the Spirit or have direct contact with the soul or Higher Self. At first you may merely replace the seeing of the physical with your imagination, but do not dismay for the world of your imagination is closer to Spirit than is the physical world.

Your imagination can take you to the kingdom of God that resides within you.

Your assignment today is to practice “not seeing” and take mental notes about what you do see.

Sit back in your chair, relax and look straight ahead. You may be looking at a blank wall, a television, your computer, a picture or a number of things. It matters not. Just look straight ahead not focusing on any object. Pick a point in space that appears empty and place your attention on it. Do this until images come to your mind. When this happens focus on them with as much attention as possible. Follow them and see where they take you.

Good. Now did you notice that when you were seeing the image or images that you seemed to have no attention at all on the regular physical world right in front of your eyes?

Repeat this exercise several times today, and this time try remind yourself to do it.

Copyright by J J Dewey

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The Two Witnesses

The Two Witnesses

“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” Rev 11:3-4

Before we give the inner interpretation of this let us briefly relate the orthodox one. Standard Christians see the two witnesses as two physical prophets who shall appear in the last days. Some believe they will be Moses (or possibly Enoch) and Elijah come again, not reincarnated, but making a supernatural appearance. They see these two as appearing in Jerusalem and causing all kinds of grief to unbelievers.

On the fringe side of things there are hundreds out there with large egos claiming to be one of the two witnesses. Because of this claim we are supposed to drop everything and follow them

Then there are others who teach that the two witnesses are groups, movements or even historical figures.

While it may be true that certain physical correspondences may appear from time to time that could be interpreted as the two witnesses (and I have written of this myself), I think the reader will find that the inner interpretation will strike a chord within him. Whereas the outer interpretation occurs within a very limited time, the inner applies from the time of John through today and henceforth.

So who or what are the two witnesses? What is it they are witnessing to, or for, regarding the disciple seeking to unfold the Christ within?

To answer this question we must recap the meaning of the recent verses.

The disciple has “eaten” the little book, or obtained a revelation of his place in the scheme of things, his mission and the work to be done. After this he sees he must look into the hearts of men and discern the true seekers of the light within from those who are governed by the light without.

What is it that must now be witnessed or verified?

To answer this we must reflect back on the book (mission) he swallows. We are told “it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.”

The mission and labor is sweet to dream and talk about, but the actual work and application can be very bitter because of the resistance the one following the path of Christ encounters. Remember that Jesus had to suffer the bitter pill of suffering in the garden and being crucified.

Others seeking to follow the path of Christ may not be crucified but they must be willing to give even their lives if necessary; they will also reach that point where they will ask “if it be possible, remove this cup.”

The only way the disciple can make his way through this Valley of the Shadow of Death is to be absolutely sure his direction is correct. Otherwise, he will stumble, fall and not recover to obtain the victory.

The only way for him to gain this surety is to obtain the two witnesses.

“And I will give power unto my two witnesses…”

Note that the two witnesses are given power from God. What is the purpose of such power? The purpose is to verify with positivity that transcends physical reality so that the witness is sure.

So who or what are the two witnesses?

“These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” Verse 4

What does this tell us?

A clue is given in the Book of Zechariah:

“Here is a lamp-stand meets my eyes, all of gold. A bowl this lamp-stand has at the top of it, and from the bowl run seven pipes, to feed the seven lamps that crown it. And there are two olive trees hanging over it, one to the right and one to the left of the bowl . . .” Zech 4:1-4

“Then I asked him about the two olive trees, to right and left of the lamp-stand; and there was more I would know. What are the two olive-shoots, close beside the two golden taps that feed yonder pipes of gold? What said he, canst thou not tell? Not I, my Lord, I answered. What should these be he said, but the two newly anointed ones that stand in his presence, who is Master of the whole earth?” Zech 4:11-14 Knox Version

Notice that we have the symbolism of the two most important numbers when dealing with the Creator, which is the seven and the three. We have the seven pipes and lamps symbolizing the “seven spirits before the throne.” Then we have the “Master of the whole earth” and the two anointed ones who feed the seven. These two plus the one equal the three of the Trinity.

After the disciple meets the powerful angel and eats the little book he feels he has a witness from on high (the powerful angel), but this is still not enough to sustain him. Remember that when Jesus faltered in the garden “there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” Even for the Master, knowledge of his mission gained directly from his father was not enough; he needed additional assistance from another witness.

Next, as Jesus faced his accusers Peter cut the ear off one of the soldiers. After this Jesus healed the ear in the eyes of all. This was a final witness to himself, as well as his accusers, that his mission was indeed in harmony with the higher will.

The purpose of the two witnesses are first to strengthen the disciple, and second to verify his works as a witness to the people who listen.

The first witness increases the inward spiritual power that is sent forth from the disciple to the people. The people receiving his words thus feel an inner strength being projected. Then the second witness verifies his works to the people.

In other words, the verification of his Words and Works are the two witnesses from the disciple to the people as well as to himself.

The witnesses also represent two aspects of the Godhead. The “Master” or Lord of the earth represents the Father. The first witness represents the Son (the Word) and the second witness represents the Holy Spirit (the Works).

“…they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Sackcloth in Bible days was made of coarse black goat’s hair. The material was used to make sacks, but also garments used to signify a period of mourning due to calamity or death.

And what is the period of time involved?

“…a thousand two hundred and threescore (1260) days…”

This is the second time period mentioned in this chapter. The first reads:

“…the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” Verse 2

A prophetic month in scripture was considered to be a flat 30 days. Thus 42 months equals exactly 1260. The symbolism of this figure is repeated numerous times in the Apocalypse. Later, there is a period of “times, a time and a half a time.” Time equals a season, period or year; times equals two such periods; and, finally, a half a time is half a period. Add these together and we get three and one-half periods. If we apply this to scriptural years of 360 days each we again arrive at 1260 days. Then, later in this verse we see the witnesses were dead for three and one-half days.

We thus see that the three and one-half periods were repeated four times in the book, but written about in four different ways.

What is the reason for this?

It is to emphasize that the three and one-half represents a principle rather than a black-and-white time period. The thing which is consistent with all these four time periods is also significant. All four represent periods of loss, tribulation or mourning before victory is achieved.

(1) The holy city is “tread under foot forty and two months.”

(2) The two witnesses prophesy during 1260 days of difficulty and resistance from enemies.

(3) The two witnesses are dead for three and one-half days.

(4) The church flees to the wilderness for times, a time and a half a time (three and a half periods).

What, then, is the true meaning of this three and one- half periods?

The answer is much different than you have read in the various Bible commentaries.

Humanity has a certain affiliation with the number three, as far as time or work goes. This is illustrated in the truism “the third time is the charm.” It seems to us that after three attempts or periods that success is to be achieved. Evidence of this is even seen in the resurrection of Christ, for it is thought he was in the tomb for three days. Maybe this is incorrect. Maybe it was really three and one-half days.

The reason that the great miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead was so impressive was that he was in the tomb for over three days. It was a belief among the Jews that it was impossible to bring a man back to life who had been dead for more than three days.

When Jesus was told of the death of his friend he purposely delayed going to Lazarus so that when he go there he would have been dead for over three days. This was very upsetting to those close to him for they also thought that even Jesus could not bring him back after three days. Both Mary and Martha expressed regret that he did not arrive earlier.

We are told that this attitude made him groan ‘in the spirit, and was troubled.” John 11:33

Why was he so troubled? Because of this built in mechanism that normal humanity has within themselves to just give up after the three periods.

This is why Jesus taught us that “he who endures to the end shall be delivered.” Matt 10:22. The end is always at least a half of a time period beyond that which the seeker expects.

The key to success is to not endure just one round of troubles, or even two or three, but always expect an extra half more than you think will be the maximum. In truth it may be more than the half, but it will be at least a half.

The bottom line is that success will take as long as it takes, but the promise is that if we endure to the end we will achieve success. The problem is that the end is always further away than one tends to expect. The last period that extends beyond the three rounds is the one crucial to achievement.

Two good examples of this are the two greatest conflicts experienced by the United States – the Civil War and World War II.

Time and time again, great pressure was placed upon Lincoln to end the war, especially after three years had passed. It is only due to the iron will and inspired determination of this man that the war was successfully consummated after three and a half years had passed.

The same thing happened with World War II. No one was sure who would win after three years of U.S. involvement, but after we endured three and a half years it seemed pretty sure we would win, and of course we did.

A similar time period was at play in World War I, which lasted just over three and a half years in Europe.

The principle taught is this: If we want to achieve victory on any level we must be willing to endure for longer than the expected three periods. Sometimes it will require three and a half periods, sometimes more. When there is a major struggle or work to be accomplished it will always take longer than expected. If I have a timetable, and I say that I will struggle for X amount of time and that will be it, then failure is inevitable. Only the disciple who endures as long as it takes will triumph in the end.

The Three and a Half Cycles

The three and one-half periods generally applies to a period of work or tribulation that ends with success if the labor is not terminated.

The cycles could be divided like this:

First period: This is the period which lies within the expected time that the work is thought to become successfully completed.

Second period: This is the period that goes beyond that which was expected. Now it is apparent to all that the labor is much more difficult than expected. If the initiator perseveres some complaints will surface, but it appears he still has the support to continue to victory.

Third period: The initiator has persevered with bullheadedness, in the eyes of many, and it seems the work is doomed to failure and any more effort is a waste of time. Even many friends and supporters turn on the initiate and attempt to make him alter his path.

The half-a-time period: Only the committed initiate on the path of the Christ has the will to continue until this final time of enduring to the end is reached. Perhaps the best example of this was the work of Lincoln, a high initiate, during the Civil War. After over 500,000 deaths of his own brethren he continued through the half-a-time period with a determination seen by few people in history. Now, on hindsight, we see that this half-a-time period of perseverance was extremely important to the history of the world.

Even so, it is with any disciple who follows the path of Christ. He will see a vision of his work and within himself will form an estimate of how long it will take to achieve success.

This is the first period, and after it passes, it will seem that he is farther from success than when he started. Then a second time period passes and still the goal is far away, and initial supporters are starting to grumble and fall away.

Two times or cycles have passed and now he enters the third cycle. Not only do supporters turn on him and wonder if he was ever right or inspired to begin with but he doubts himself. Only by going back in his mind to the initial revelation of the work and reminding himself of its reality can he manage to develop the power to continue.

The disciple who does not do this cries out “My God, why have you forsaken me?” and quits.

The disciple who does correctly reflect may still make this cry but he continues for the half-a-time period despite the appearances and circumstances.

As he endures to the end through the final maze and fog ,the inner sun arises and its blazing flames dispel the mist and all doubts evaporate. After the half-a-time period the disciple wonders why he ever doubted, for he is glad beyond measure that he did not give up.

Those who fell away from the cause return as if they were supporters all the time.

Those who betrayed him retreat into silence and dare not speak as they did before, else they appear as fools.

Those who stayed with the initiate are seen as true friends to himself and to each other, and have joy and knowledge of real brotherhood – a brotherhood known to a sacred few.

Three and one-half is half of seven, the number of days in a week and the number of cycles of creation.

After three a half days of creation God was in the middle of making the great lights in the heavens, darkness was no more.

After the three and one-half cycles are passed the work is not done but the second half of the work begins. This is the work where the laborers proceed in the light rather than in the dark. It is now seen that the labor is beneficial and desirable, and many come to the aid of the initiator (who is often dead or gone) and finish the work.

For instance, after the Civil War, even though Lincoln was dead, the people now saw the value of the labor and sought to finish his work and reconstruct the country. Indeed, there were many problems but overall the labor benefited many generations to come.

Remember that after God completed the seven days of labor his greatest creation (Adam) fell from grace, and still more labor was required to salvage him.

The earth itself was beautiful, but far from perfect. Even so, no work started by an initiate is perfect and beyond criticism, but it will be a thing of beauty and will be a vehicle to assist humankind to go where they have not gone before.

The Devouring Fire

“And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.” Rev 11:5-6

The initiate on the path of becoming like the Christ will speak eternal words, words that shall not pass away (the first witness), and perform works that will help humanity and which will stand the test of time (the second witness).

Such Words and Works always draw forth enemies from the establishment who feel threatened and desire to maintain their base of power and authority. In fact, when you see a leader embraced by the world, you can usually rest assured that the two witnesses are not present in his consciousness.

The world always resists change, especially change for the better, and enemies come forth out of the woodwork to fight against such forward motion.

The scripture reads “And if any man hurt them…” How could the witnesses be hurt? The word “hurt” comes from the Greek ADIKEO and has a wider meaning than any single English word. When reading the scripture most people think this is referring to physical hurt, but ADIKEO comes from the root ADIKOS, which gives the word the core meaning of being “unjust” or wrong.

You can’t really physically hurt inspired Words and Works (even though the messengers can be physically hurt), but enemies of truth can unjustly attack them. How is this done? This is best understood by looking at the attacks on the Words and Works of the great lights in history. Their words have been distorted, twisted, changed and corrupted so that when the public receives them through whatever media is used they appear as evil as the devil himself. The same happens with their works. The initiate and his workers are compared to tyrants – and to enemies of the state – by the status quo and the world. Just as the Jewish leaders accused Jesus of trying to destroy their law and system, the works of others on the path of Christ are seen as destructive to the establishment.

Therefore, they seek to destroy such works, not through reason and fair play, but by attack by distorting the work and the intention behind the work. Again, they associate the workers and the work with evil. You will recall that they accused Jesus of working through the power of Beelzebub, the Jewish word for Satan. (See Matt 12:24)

When the disciple on the path of Christ goes forward with his work, enemies indeed come forward and unjustly attack, accuse and corrupt his “words” and his “work” – the two witnesses.

What happens after the attack?

“…fire proceedeth out of their mouth…”

After enemies surface, and attack and distort the Words and Works, “fire” proceeds from the witnesses. The meaning here is significant and much different than taught by orthodoxy. Fire comes from the Greek PUR. The English “pure” and “purify” come from it. Light or lightning can also be implied. What does this tell us? It reveals that when the initiate is attacked – and his enemies make arguments against him through the use of lies and distortion – out of his mouth will come forth fiery truth and light that sets the record straight. Distortion cannot stand in the face of truth, and when corruption is met with pure truth and reason, truth will prevail in the end.

“…and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.”

The power of the Words and Works of the initiate are so powerful that they “devour” the attacks of the enemies.

Again, Jesus is the perfect example of this. After his enemies tried to attack him to illustrate he was evil, the Master returned fire with reason so powerful that their argument was devoured. After one exchange it is written:

“And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.” Matt 22:46

It says that the attacker must “in this manner be killed.” The Greek word for “killed” implies more than physical destruction and can refer to any type of destruction. Jesus killed the argument of the Pharisees who attacked him; and this is what happens to all false reasoning that comes against the witnesses that accompany the disciple on the path.

Before and during the Civil War many distorted the truth of what freedom is and maintained that they must enslave the minority to maintain freedom for the majority. Fire proceeded out of the mouth of Lincoln with words such as:

“A nation cannot continue to exist half slave and half free… A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

These words of Lincoln have endured the test of time like an eternal fire that has destroyed every enemy which has come against them. In addition, his second witness, his work in preserving the union and the freeing of the slaves, has also been a fire that has destroyed every argument to the contrary.

Verse 6 reads:

“These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”

First, we must realize what is meant by “the days of their prophecy.” The word prophecy comes from the Greek PROPHETEIA, which basically means “inspired speech.” The time period is three and one-half cycles or seasons. During this time period the initiate gives forth inspired words that uplift the few who will listen and respond.

Let us look at Lincoln again. During the three-and-a-half periods of his prophecy was heaven shut that it did not rain for his enemies?

Heaven symbolizes higher light and knowledge, and rain symbolizes the receptivity of the people for growth.

His enemies rejected granting freedom to the human spirit of an entire race of people and the rejection of this basic right caused “heaven,” or higher light and compassion, to be closed to them so that no enlightenment came during this period.

The scripture continues:

“…and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.”

Water is symbolic of emotion. The symbolism of blood depends on the context in which it is used. It stands for angry emotion, life or the sacrifice of life depending on the situation. In this case it means that the two witnesses accompanying the initiate stir the emotions to such a degree that a conflict ensues, causing great anger that could lead to the sacrificing of life. This indeed happened during the Civil War as 600,000 Americans lost their lives. In addition, the whole land was smitten with all sorts of plagues, hunger, disease and death.

It is interesting that these same correspondences can be made to the work of Jesus, FDR and Churchill during World War II, Martin Luther, the Founding Fathers and many other workers of light.

The Death of the Witnesses

“And when they shall have finished their testimony, the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

“And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

“And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Rev 11:7-13

“And when they shall have finished their testimony…”

“Finished” comes from the Greek TELEO which has the same root as TELEIOS, the Greek word for perfection. In other words, this scripture tells us of the time in which the Words and Works have been presented with as much clarity as possible. All who have eyes to see and ears to hear cannot deny the witnesses. Those who continue to deny the value of the witnesses are hard-hearted and closed-minded and refuse to see and hear.

“…the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit…”

This is the first mention of “the Beast” in Revelation. We shall give a full explanation of it when we get to Chapter Thirteen. Suffice it to say, at present, that the Beast represents the authoritarian rulers of the world who permeate all walks of life.

Where does he come from?

The bottomless pit.

And what is that? As we explained in reviewing Chapter Nine this represents the seemingly unlimited number of emotionally polarized people on the earth. These are they who are reactionary and respond with predictable actions when stimulated. These people who yield thought and reason to knee-jerk emotional reaction give power to anti-Christ authorities, causing the Beast to be able to ascend before the consciousness of humanity again and again.

“…shall make war against them…”

The two witnesses, the Words and Works of the disciple, have gone through three cycles and have caused a great stirring among the people and the authorities who lead them. Now, against all odds, they continue for a half a time, or seemingly forever, unless they are stopped. It now dawns on those in power that the witnesses must be neutralized by any means possible.

“…and shall overcome them, and kill them.”

The authorities of the earth now turn on the witnesses with all the power at their disposal. We are told these earthly powers shall “overcome” and “kill” them.

What does this mean? The interpretation would seem to imply the death of the initiate. Although this often happens, as with Lincoln and Jesus, it is not always the case. With Galileo, for instance he was placed in jail and forced to deny his Work and Words. They did not kill this initiate, but they did seem to kill his two witnesses – that the earth was not the center of the universe.

The witnesses are killed or neutralized in a number of different ways:

(1) The literal killing of the initiate and his associates which seems to stop the Words and Works.

(2) The demonizing of the Words and Works giving the public impression that they are evil and need to be avoided.

(3) The corruption of the witnesses. When the Words and Works permeate society to the extent they cannot be extinguished, the authorities pretend to embrace them. After this, they alter and corrupt them so society’s original errors and power are held intact.

“And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.”

Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem, yet the scripture says the witnesses were killed in the same place – not physically but spiritually. This spiritual place, which corresponds to Jerusalem of old, is called “Sodom and Egypt.”

Why is it written that the two witnesses were killed in this place “where also our Lord was crucified?”

In Jesus’ day the attempt to kill his Words and Works, or the two witnesses, was through the crucifixion. This same principle applies in all other attempts to kill or corrupt the witnesses of other initiates. “Sodom and Egypt” gives us major clues as what conditions are needed to kill the witnesses.

Sodom was destroyed by fire because of wickedness in the days of Abraham and Lot. Two evils concerning it were mentioned in the Bible. First, they were not accepting of strangers such as Lot; and second, they were willing to do whatever necessary, even unto murder and rape, to fulfill their carnal desires.

The keynote of Egypt is slavery since this is where the Hebrews had to be delivered by Moses.

Thus we have three conditions needed to slay the witnesses:

(1) A refusal to accept or even tolerate the new and different.

(2) A willingness to do violence to fulfill desire and maintain the status quo.

(3) A state of mental enslavement where the people do not think and act without permission from authority.

We are told their dead bodies shall lie in the streets of this “spiritual” city. What are their dead bodies and what does this mean?

When the life that was in the Words and Works of the initiate seems to be suffocated, what is left is the dead bodies. And what are these?

To understand, let us draw a picture of the typical situation after the death of the two witnesses.

The people are in a state of mental slavery and only do what they are told to do. They fear to endorse or accept anything new, and are encouraged to satisfy their every desire as long as it does not give life to the witnesses.

The bodies of the witnesses remain in the streets. The word “streets” tells us the people still have access to the witnesses but, by their refusal to give them their eyes, ears and heart, they appear as dead. The body for their Words could be a book or a Bible. The body for the Works is a church, movement or organization.

The bodies remain but are dead because of the corruption of the people by the Beast, which is a master at the manipulating of emotion.

The Resurrection of the Witnesses

“And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Rev 11:9-13

In the orthodox interpretation it is believed that John saw the days of international television. How else could all the world see the bodies of two dead prophets, apparently on the streets of Jerusalem?

On the other hand, the prophecy is so specific that if two prophets did appear, were killed, and lay in the streets without burial for three and one-half days and shown on international TV, most of the Christian world would see the correlation to the prophecy and would not rejoice in their death. Instead, the believers would increase in faith and the doubters would fear. They would not be sending gifts to each other.

In other words, knowledge of the prophecy by the world could very well prevent it from coming literally true. Even if the fulfillment took place in another city besides Jerusalem, many would see the correlation.

There are physical correlations that can be made for the two witnesses teaching, being killed and resurrected, but the greatest correlation of all – and the truest to the original prophecy – is that which pertains to the inner meaning.

Even before the days of TV the teachings of high initiates such as Jesus, Buddha, Krishna and others were circulated throughout many nations for the entire world to see and examine. But, by the time they achieved such a wide circulation, the Beast from the bottomless pit had sifted through them all and had told the world what they were supposed to think of them. This caused the Words and Works of the initiates to become as two dead bodies incapable of giving life to the teachings as did the original teacher.

For three-and-a-half cycles of time the dead bodies of the witnesses laid in the streets. The first dead witness is the doctrine in a book that is not understood and the other is an organization or church with no spiritual life

People of the world were happy about their deaths and even sent gifts one to another. How was this manifest?

The answer is that many were happy that the teachings of the spiritual path presented by Christ was no longer binding upon them, and that they could replace them with their own brand of religion or philosophy. A part of this was the creation of Christmas where the people could supposedly worship Christ by sending “gifts one to another.”

How long are the three-and-a-half cycles where the witnesses lie in the streets?

There are several answers to this as correspondences have several layers.

The first correspondence is the period that the body of Jesus was dead, which also gave the appearance that his two witnesses, his Words and Works, were dead also.

Jesus taught for three years and a “half a time,” or a part of a year qualifying for the three-and-a-half times. He died late in the afternoon, probably just after 3 PM, and was placed in a tomb around sunset. He was first seen after the resurrection early Sunday morning. If we use the twelve hour cycles of day and night then just after 9 AM would have been three-and-a-half cycles after his death. But keep in mind that the last period, the half a time, is not exact. This period signifies the time which is necessary to finish the job, whatever that is. Usually, it is close to a half of a cycle.

If we had an accurate history we could trace cycles of three-and-a-half cycles of the teachings of Jesus living and dying and then resurfacing again. If we examine history we see there are periods when the teachings of Jesus seemed as if they were dead, when the scriptures existed but were not accessible to average people. They periodically seemed to be suffocating and then struggling to come to life again. One could use periods of a generation of 40 years, a Saturn cycle of around 29 years or some other combination and see the death and emergence of the Christ message repeating itself.

Then again, one can use cycles to represent a period of transition in history. For instance, the first cycle after Jesus’ death could be the Roman empire dominated by the Caesar-like emperors which suppressed Christianity.

The second cycle started at 325 AD with Constantine and marked the expansion of a corrupted Christianity.

The third cycle began with the rise of Islam around 610 AD, continued through the crusades against Islam and ended around 1300 AD.

Throughout all these three cycles the bodies of the two witnesses, the Words and Works of Christ, still existed, but were dead in the streets of men because they were ignored. Instead of concentrating on the love of Christ they saw Christ as a sword for war. Instead of the life of Christ, they concentrated on the cross and the death of Christ. Instead of the truth making them free, they suffocated the truth, making them enslaved.

Then came the half a time wherein the Christ spirit made the final heroic effort to endure to the end and triumph. This continued through the Reformation and Renaissance. Reformers such as Tyndale, Calvin Martin Luther and others sought to bring freedom to think outside the box of the Roman Catholic Church.

In addition, the second arm, the Renaissance thinkers stimulated free thought and expression outside of religion.

Finally, after these three-and-a-half times, or cycles, the two witnesses came to life again, “stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.” Their coming to life again manifested as freedom for the human soul in democratic societies and freedom from slavery. The spirit of freedom did indeed cause great fear in the hearts of those who were attached to the power of the kings.

The symbolic date marking this beginning is July 4, 1776.

This life also became manifest in religion as freedom to learn and teach all manner of doctrine, thus creating hundreds of different religions from which to choose.

Neither the churches nor the democracies have been perfect and never will be, but they are living and breathing and allowing for the free life of the human spirit to express itself. Even so, as far as the inner spiritual path goes the witnesses are still dead and the highest good that can be taken from them is to send gifts to each other at Christmas.

In addition, we are yet in the early stages of the new three-and-a-half cycles of life which will last more than 1000 years to come. The spirit of the Words and Works of Christ are alive and well, and when maturity comes peace on earth, goodwill to men will be a reality.

The scripture continues:

“And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” Rev 11:12

“And they heard a great voice from heaven…”

“They heard” comes from AKOUO, which is in the aorist tense, peculiar to the Greek. This tells us that the hearing does not pertain to the past, present or future, but is more of a principle that is always applicable.

In other words, this is not a prediction of the future, but a statement that is timeless and can apply in any time frame.

Periodically, the Words and Works of the Master are imbued with the spirit of life from God as if a voice from heaven (higher consciousness) is bringing them back to life.

The voice from heaven is the inner voice of Spirit that speaks to the hearts and minds of seekers who gain fresh understanding of the original teachings.

“saying unto them, Come up hither.”

A number of seekers receive fresh inspiration concerning the truth of the Words and Works of the Master and feel impressed to lift them up as an “ensign” for the people.

“And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.”

When the original vision is seen and acted upon by a sufficient number of seekers, the Words and Works are no longer as dead bodies lying on the streets, but lifted up to heaven for all to see. They are in a “cloud”, signifying that the enemies of truth and supporters of the status quo do not see the true principles involved. Even so, they do see the life that is in the Words and Works that goes against their belief system and they shake them to the core.

Verse 13 continues, “And the same hour was there a great earthquake…”

As the Words and Works of the Master teacher are given life and are lifted up in the eyes of the people the enemies of light, love and freedom have the foundations of their belief systems shaken as if an internal earthquake struck them to the core.

“and the tenth part of the city fell,”

The city is composed of those people and structures on the earth who are spiritually like “Sodom and Egypt” who willingly crucify the teacher and suffocate the two witnesses he brings.

The “tenth” signifies the belief structures of the leaders who convince the people that illusionary doctrines are true. When the light shines and the people see the true essence of the Words and Works, the two witnesses, these seemingly powerful yet illusionary arguments fail. Their teachings and doctrines no longer have life and fall as dead in the spiritual earthquake.

“and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand”

This number signifies the fact that a large number of leaders and promoters of false teachings and ideologies will be silenced in that they will no longer have power to deceive and veil the true witnesses.

“…and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.”

The blind followers of illusionary teachings can no longer trust their authorities and are faced with a situation where the majority now see at least some of the truth and virtue in the two witnesses. Because of fear they now join in with the majority and give glory to God.

Let’s go back to Abraham Lincoln as an example here. He arrived at a time when the freedom of the human spirit to speak the Words and do the Works was dead for an entire race as well as for those who supported freedom for the slaves.

The Civil War created an earthquake for the belief system that supported slavery and the basic structures of support fell. Those who supported slavery were soon silenced, and it was not long before the majority saw the two witnesses of the Words and Works of Lincoln stand on their feet and rise to heaven, or into the higher consciousness of the people.

Those who remained were afraid to admit they ever supported slavery and gave glory to God that all races were now free.

“The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” Rev 11:14

There are more problems and earthquakes to come for those who fight the “light of the world.”

Copyright by J J Dewey

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The Seeker’s Guide to Soul Contact, Part 2

Day 11

I will communicate my grievances and let them go.

You may have done everything possible to decide to forgive the person who is behind the grievance and have reasoned within yourself that it is best to just let it go and move on, but the grievance remains. You are left with a Type Two emotional grievance to which your emotional self has attached. Your feeling nature is ignoring the mind and exercising its own power and authority over your life.

When your emotional self makes such a stand you have to speak to it in its own language. It doesn’t understand logic and reasoning. It only understands communications with feeling behind them and the seeker must deal with it in its own language.

Let us go back to the situation with Jill and Joan. Jill’s emotional self felt very warm about the poem she wrote and was devastated when it felt as if Joan attacked it. Jill’s mental self tried to reason the hurt away, but the emotional self would not have it. It wants justice meted out on an emotional level.

If justice was up to the emotional self it would influence Jill to attack Joan on the next encounter and show her how it feels to be criticized unjustly.

Here the mind of the seeker must step it. The solution cannot be left up to the emotional body or tragedy will be the result. When a grievance is involved the solution the emotional self comes up with always involves attack and revenge.

The mind using its reasoning powers can see where the attack approach will lead. Unfortunately, many minds are not clear as to how to proceed to solve the problem. Let us use the mind and look at the choices Jull has:

(1) The mind can acquiesce and let the emotional self have its way. Joan will attack back and probably destroy the friendship.

(2) The mind can refuse to let the emotional self have its way and just continue the relationship as if nothing has happened.

This is the course taken by most minds, but the problem is that the grievance remains and will cause problems as soon as the mind relaxes its control over the feeling nature.

(3) Jill can have a heart-to-heart talk with Joan and communicate as harmlessly as possible the hurt she feels.

This is the only step that permanently solves the problem. The emotional self feels it is communicating the hurt and will be satisfied. The communication could go something like this:

Jill: You may think it is kind of silly, but you really hurt my feelings after you read my poem.

Joan: Really? I didn’t mean to. What did I do?

Jill: I know you’ve written a lot of poems but I have just written that one. That was my first attempt and I put a lot of heart into it. When I showed it to you I thought you would see the feeling I attempted to convey and identify with it. Instead, you responded dryly that it was corny. That really hurt my feelings. It may seem silly, but I can’t shake the hurt.

Joan: I didn’t realize that was your first poem or I would have been more understanding. Yes, the poem did have heart and it was touching and by “corny” I did not mean it was bad, but kind of old fashioned, but that is sometimes a good thing. I suppose my correcting your English didn’t help.

Jill: (At this point Jill’s emotional self is already feeling much better) I have to admit that added fuel to the fire. You came across like an old fashioned schoolmarm reviewing the paper of a failing student.

Joan: (She laughs) I can be that way at times. I hope I didn’t discourage you from writing more poetry. If that was your first poem, then overall it was really pretty good.

The two give each other a hug and the grievance is completely replaced by warm loving energy strengthening the bond beyond what it was before.

So, what happens if Joan is not so gracious, thinks that Jill is being ridiculous and is offended at the insinuation that she caused the grievance?

In this case Jill can still let go of the grievance because it has been communicated. Joan’s refusal to have empathy and share in the responsibility will cause the energy of the grievance to settle on her own emotional body. She will now bare the burden of the grievance and will have to deal with it.

Today’s assignment: Review possible grievances and see if any are active. If so make a plan to communicate that grievance to the person involved at the earliest possible moment. Do so in as harmless and loving way as possible.

If you cannot find an active grievance then make up your mind to diffuse any that come along in the future. Think this thought to yourself throughout the day.

“I will diffuse all my grievances through loving and honest communication and pave the way for the light of the soul.”

 

Day 12

I will let my feelings express themselves

The seeker may have followed this course assiduously so far, yet something still seems amiss. Lingering below the surface, subtle hurt resides. What has gone wrong? What must still be done?

Two more emotional blockages remain in many souls seeking the path. We shall deal with the first today.

Suppression is an enemy at the gate that slows down the progress of many a kind and loving soul who just wants to live in peace.

Here is how the problem surfaces:

Someone in relationship with the seeker says or does something that offends the emotional body, but not the mental self. The mind explains that the offense was not a big deal and not worth replying to and with the risk of a full-blown argument resulting in hard feelings. Despite the mind making this argument to the whole self, the emotional self doesn’t buy it and continues to be offended.

The mind notes the offensive feeling and decides to take charge. Basically, it says this to the feeling self:

“The offense just is not worth making a fuss over. We need to just forget about it and move on.”

The emotional self then registers a complaint. It wants to have its say. But the mind who has more authority puts its foot down and says:

“Peace is more important than your hurt feelings. I am not letting you disturb our relationship with our friend.”

The mind thus exerts its authority and suppresses the feeling nature and prevents it from expressing itself. After a period of what seems like peace, the mind becomes convinced it did the right thing and all seems well.

This situation continues until the friend commits the same offense again. And again the mind takes charge and commands the emotions to be quiet. This time the negative energy held by the emotions increases.

Then the offense happens two more times and the mind again commands silence to the emotions. The negative feelings accumulate and the emotional self feels it cannot contain much more. It must either release the negative emotions or send a message to the whole self by causing a disease to manifest.

Finally, one more visit is paid to the friend and he makes another offending remark. It was fairly mild but it was enough to add just enough fuel to the emotional self to cause it to explode. The energy was so strong that the mind could not hold it back and the self lashed out at the friend with a fury that caused great hurt and alarm.

This damaged the friendship but it had a positive effect in that the emotional self did not have to manifest a disease.

The assignment today is to again look back on the various emotional hurts you have had in life. Has there been a tendency for you to pretend that you were not hurt when you were? Do not be hesitant at honesty here, for most have made this pretense at one time or another. If you do find a past situation ask yourself how you could have communicated the negative emotion at the beginning to avoid larger problems later on.

Now examine your current feelings. Is your emotional self still harboring any negative feelings that have been suppressed by the mind?

The solution is the same as the last lesson, which is to find a way to harmlessly communicate the negative feelings as soon as they arise. This may seem difficult but the problem of communicating in the present is much less than the outburst or ill health that can result from suppression.

End your period of reflection by saying this:

“I am honest with my feelings as well as my thoughts, and this honesty will open the door to greater light and love.”

 

Day 13

I will be honest about my feelings

Yesterday we discussed the first cause of emotional blockage which is suppression. The second one which is the subject for today is denial.

Denial is perhaps the most complicated cause of emotional blockage and very difficult to clear. Whereas suppression allows both the mind and the emotional self to acknowledge the hurt to be present, with denial the mind creates the illusion that the disturbance does not even exist.

Why does it do this?

The reason is simple. Many seekers see themselves as further along the path than they are, and have concluded that they have risen above being effected by negative emotions. They think that they do not feel any grievance or are subject to negative feelings because they have mastered them.

Therefore, the denier goes a step beyond the suppresser. He not only prevents the emotional self from expressing itself, but denies the existence of the grievance felt by the feeling nature when it is definitely real.

The process goes something like this: An offense takes place and the emotional self becomes quite upset and carries a grievance. It wants to express itself, but the pious mind says, “No. we are beyond that. Now settle down.”

The emotional self still feels hurt and pesters the mind for permission to communicate.

The mind then sees that the emotional self is not cooperating and tells itself that this emotional reaction is silly and not a part of him. He will not only deny the emotions the power to express, but decides to detach himself from any emotions to the point that it would seem that the undesirable ones do not even exist.

The problem is that the grievance has not been solved and it does exist. The emotional body was upset enough when suppressed, but now that the mind has denied what is actually being felt, it boils over in a silent rage. It may not be allowed to speak, but it can do other things.

The emotional self then plots its revenge and plans to get the attention of the mind so it will be heard. It then attacks the physical body and causes debilitation, disease and pain. When the mind through the body feels pain and discomfort, the emotional self is saying, “I felt great pain and you pretended it does not exist. Let’s see you pretend that this physical pain does not exist then.”

Sometimes the message gets through and the person becomes in better touch with his feelings; at other times he will live the rest of his life in pain, bewildered by the cause.

The seeker definitely needs to discover any inward denial and expose it if he wants to bask in the spiritual light of the soul as well as maintain health. The problem is that many have denied grievances for so long that they have convinced themselves that they do not exist.

If you are healthy and suffering no physical pain then this is a sign that you are not experiencing long-term denial. One who is currently healthy may be subject to a short-term denial for the physical problems take a while to manifest.

The assignment today is to communicate with your emotional self. Ask it, “Have I denied you any expression of feelings that need to come out?” After asking this, tune into your emotional self and attempt to feel what it feels. See yourself as one with your whole self, including your emotions. After a period of contemplation end with:

“I am not ashamed of my feelings and honestly face them so pain can be replaced with joy.”

If you suspect that you have experienced denial then you may want to return to this exercise periodically.

 

Day 14

I will discover the cause of guilt

Guilt is perhaps the greatest barrier to soul contact and the gifts of the Spirit. Many people associate guilt with a conscience given to us by God, but in this they are incorrect. Guilt is an artificial device created by human consciousness as a means to condemn ourselves and make us feel unworthy.

Guilt is the most destructive and useless of all feelings. It is not just feeling bad over a mistake, but is accompanied by a feeling of unworthiness and self-condemnation.

Guilt is often associated with sin. If you sin you are then unworthy of God’s Spirit and you need to go through a period penitence and self-condemnation before you dare lift your eyes heavenward again.

The word “sin” comes from the Greek word HAMARTANO which means “to miss the mark.” In other words, when the Greeks, 2000 years ago, shot at a target with an arrow and missed, they “sinned” (HAMARTANO) or missed the target. Is this how the word “sin” is used today? Verily no. When the religious person thinks of sin in our age, he generally thinks of being unclean and ridden with guilt.

When you shoot at a target and miss the bull’s eye, do you feel degraded and guilty to the extent that you feel paralyzed and even feel unworthy to shoot again? No, of course not. When you miss you may find it mildly irritating, but you generally can’t wait to have another try at it.

Guilt has been identified with sin by those who have sought to control the souls of men, but among the enlightened prophets it was not always so. To them sin was seen as a human error and salvation from sin is the path that leads to a correction of error. The prophets in times past did not seek to control through guilt, but sought to shift consciousness from error to perfection as they saw it.

The most prevalent sin today (using its true definition) is to be ensnared by guilt, for guilt is caused by, not your conscience, but by an error in human thinking.

It is indeed a great error to make a mistake and then condemn yourself through guilt to the extent that you become paralyzed and do nothing to fix the problem until you feel worthy again. When a mistake is made the seeker needs to jump right back in making an effort to improve himself.

Guilt is caused by pure illusion and the seeker must dispel this illusion to create and maintain a consistent link between himself and his soul, or Higher Self.

Before guilt can be dispelled one must learn the cause. Once the cause is known he can then take steps to transcend guilt permanently.

The assignment today is to reflect on three different things in your life that caused you to feel guilty. Then contemplate on exactly what it was that produced the guilt.

 

Day 15

I see a difference between guilt and regret

Many people lump together the feelings of regret and guilt, but there is a great difference between the two. This difference must be understood if guilt is to be transcended, for if you seek to master something that is not guilt, then guilt will remain.

An act that causes guilt will usually involve regret, but not all things that cause regret result in guilt.

You may regret that your team lost the big game, but you will not feel guilty about it.

On the other hand, you would most likely feel both regret and guilt if you were unfaithful to your spouse.

Regret consists of feeling that an event didn’t turn out the way you wanted. If it was your fault then you might feel some irritation with yourself and commit to do better next time. With regret alone you may feel like kicking yourself for missing that target or big play, but you will not condemn yourself.

Why?

Because you realize you are human and humans make mistakes.

When guilt comes into play another dimension of feeling is added. The person may feel unworthy, he condemns himself, he usually feels the need for some type of punishment (even though he may not acknowledge this) and if he is a believer he may feel that God is upset with him.

The feelings associated with guilt are very painful and persistent, often even disturbing sleep. There is no real peace for he who is afflicted with guilt. Regret comes and goes, but guilt remains and does not let up, like suppressed and denied emotions, guilt often results in physical disease.

This is why many were healed when Jesus spoke the words, “Your sins are forgiven you.” When this was accepted by the receiver the guilt was lifted and healing took place.

Your assignment today is to review your past and reflect on various mistakes you have made and of each one ask:

Did this mistake cause me regret only or did I also suffer guilt? Do I have guilt that still lingers? How can this guilt be eliminated?

 

Day 16

I will find the source of guilt

Regret is caused by a mistake you have made and acknowledge, but guilt goes beyond this. Guilt does not come because of a mistake realized by your own intelligence, but from something that disapproves outside of yourself.

And what would that be?

The answer is quite simple. God.

In other words, guilt comes because you think that God disapproves of some action you have taken. This makes you feel unworthy of Him and condemned unless some type of atonement is arranged.

So, how do you know that God disapproves of you? Have you talked to him lately?

No, but others have told you what God expects from you and they seem to know what he wants. There are also books that tell you what God expects of you. If you accept these pronouncements as actual words from God and then go against them how will you feel?

You will feel that you have displeased God and you are as low as a human can get. You will feel guilt.

Once an outward authority is accepted as representing the words and thoughts of God then you can be made to feel guilty over going against anything he wills.

If this spokesman says you are to not eat peas and you accept this as the word of God, then you will feel guilt if you eat peas, pork, drink coffee or whatever this spokesman says violates the will of God.

If you accept an outer voice as representing the voice of God, then he who has this voice becomes a substitute for the true God. You have basically left behind the true voice and accepted a false one.

How do we know that the outward voice is a false one?

Because no outward voices speak for God. The true voice of God only comes to you from inside yourself.

Does this mean that outward voices never speak the truth?

No. Outward voices may say many things that are true, but they must be confirmed from within yourself by the true voice. Remember, outward voices also say many things that are false and have nothing to do with God’s will. If someone claiming to be a spokesman for the will of God commands you to not eat peas or anything that seems contrary to common sense you must get verification from the God within. If you realize this then no outer voice will be able to cause you to have guilt.

Your assignment today is to trace the source of your own guilt. Think of three different times that you suffered guilt and then think back to whose will was violated that caused the guilt. If you do this successfully you will trace it back to some outward authority.

Ask yourself: Why did I accept this outer voice as the voice of God. Why did I give away my power and enter hell through my own free will?

 

Day 17

I accept the true God over the false today

The true voice of God comes from within yourself, not from an outer authority. The true voice comes from a source that loves you as a loving parent does a beloved child. Do we as imperfect parents want our children to suffer guilt and condemn themselves?

No. And neither does God.

Does a loving parent want a child to see its mistakes and make corrections in life?

Yes, but such corrections are done with joy and do not involve pain and self-condemnation that comes from guilt.

All guilt comes from illusion and false gods. Guilt is caused by a violation of the first commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

You can only have guilt if you place the authority of a false outward unloving god above the true loving God who speaks to you from the Spirit within.

The false outward god does not love you but has delight in your pain and self-condemnation from guilt. A true loving parent would never feel this way toward a struggling child, neither would a true God.

The true God wants you to make corrections by seeing greater light and realizing greater love through joining with Its mind which is manifesting within you. The scripture reads:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Phil 2:5-6

The same mind which was in Christ is also in you. The same true God resides there. The false gods are without.

The assignment today is to reject the false gods and to accept the true and loving one. Is it not more reasonable, as well as desirable, to choose a true and loving parent over a wrathful condemning false one that sees you not as a true son or daughter? The choice is to go to the fires of hell created by a false god who has contempt for you, or a caring parent who welcomes you with a loving embrace and wants to take away all your pain and grief.

When one finds his Source, there is only one choice. The choice is to obey the first commandment.

Contemplate these things and imagine God appearing before you as a loving father or mother. Imagine how much you may love your own child and then multiply that love and feel it from God. Does this parent take joy in your pain? Does this parent want to replace all pain with joy and happiness?

You know the answer. The answer lies within your mind and heart.

Imagine having a conversation with this this true Father/Mother God and feeling accepted much more than any earthly parent.

 

Day 18

I will obey the first commandment

The false god from without does everything in his power to make you think it is the true God. He is very cunning and deceptive.

If you say that you only worship the God within, he will tell you that he is within. If you say you seek the kingdom of God within, he will tell you that this is his kingdom. If you want to build an earthly kingdom where brotherly love thrives he will tell you that this also belongs to him.

If you proclaim glory to God for all the outward creations then he will claim credit for all of them.

If you find a teacher, a prophet or a sacred scripture that speaks to you he will tell you that he inspired them all and can tell you what they mean.

The false god is extremely cunning at obscuring the truth. He can make you think that day is night and night is day; that good is evil and evil is good. He turns everything upside down and to test his authority over you, he commands you to believe it and to submit to commandments that defy all logic and spirit of brotherhood.

In the past you did believe the deception. You did not realize there was a difference between the true inner God and the false outer one. In your ignorance when you received some loving communications from the inner you gave glory to the outer and thus gave power to the false gods.

Your true Source forgives you for this for it knows the difficulty you have in true perception. It knows that if you had recognized it as the true God that you would not have given the false gods a second glance. It also knows that it is only a matter of time before you awaken and realize that your true home is with Him.

Your true God resides in the Eternal Now. The false gods reside in time. In the eternal now you ever reside in the arms of our loving parent. This experiment in time is so fleeting it is as if it does not even exist to the consciousness of the true God. It is as if you never left. To the consciousness of the false god it is a life and death struggle to imprison you for an eternity in time with all of its accompanied pain, depression and fear.

Like all dreams you will eventually awaken. The only difference is some awaken earlier than others.

To take the first step to awaken you must choose the true God, which resides within your heart and mind. You must obey the first commandment.

It is the first commandment because it is the most important of them all. It is the key to escaping the influence of all the false gods without.

Your assignment today is to repeat the following statement, as you have time to reflect, and the meaning behind the words:

“I will obey the first commandment and trust my loving parent who speaks to my inner spirit. I totally reject the false gods who demand fear, blind obedience and guilt if I offend them.”

 

Day 19

I am discovering the key to recognizing the true God

The seeker asks: When I feel guilt I seem to feel it within myself. How can you say that guilt comes from the false gods without?

The false gods are outer voices that come in various sizes and shapes. There are hundreds of different religions and belief systems who all have their outer authorities who compete to be the voice of God to you. They are all false gods for none of them represent the true Voice. The true Voice of God only speaks from the innermost part of yourself.

The false gods know this so they attempt to deceive you into thinking they are the same as that inner Voice. To achieve this they will speak flowery words which are a mixture of truth and error designed to be accepted by you. If you accept and embrace their words as if they are the words of God you will then allow the words to enter you as an undesirable seed may enter your garden. Thus the true seed and the false seed may reside together for a time.

Here is the key to recognizing the true God over the false.

The false begins its approach from without and attempts to work its way within to control your heart and mind.

The true God begins its approach in your deepest core and when accepted it works its way outward so your whole self is full of light.

The outer gods are merely humans like yourself who claim to speak for God, but they do not. The only God who speaks for God lies deep within your mind and heart. When the true God speaks to you there is no guilt, or shame or pain, but only love and understanding and light.

Your assignment today is to focus on these words:

“I will reject the false gods without who send from without and try to work their way into my heart and mind. Instead, I will seek first, the true God at my inner core, and witness Its presence lovingly radiate through my entire being, evaporating all guilt, shame and pain.”

 

Day 20

I will replace theory with experience

So far, if you have paid attention, you can see the theory behind the cause of guilt, which is this. You have misplaced the voice of God and hear it where it is not. Instead of being subject to the voice within yourself you were subjected to voices outside of yourself that seem to speak for God.

Dismissing these false voices, which produce guilt, is easier said than done. The false voices have great honor within the world of men and the inner voice is often seen as the product of an unstable mind, not to be trusted. Thus we see that the false voices have a great base of power in the world, not yet available to those who listen to the real voice.

The outer voice may be a revered teacher, prophet, scholar, freedom fighter, political leader, guru or book. The outer voice may seem to have great authority, knowledge, spirituality, wisdom and light. He or she may teach many things that are true, but there is one problem.

The outer voice is not infallible and always presents a mixture of truth and error,

The inner voice will always tell you the truth.

If the violation of the words of an outer voice produces guilt in you then deception and error has occurred.

This error is what Christ came to correct. To be saved is to be delivered from the error of the outer voices. The outer voices did not want to be negated and they crucified him.

To say “your sins are forgiven” is the same as saying: “You are delivered from error.”

When you are delivered from error you are delivered from guilt and taken under the wing of a loving God who seeks to nourish you and take away all pain and shame.

What you must do to be saved is to trace back in your mind to the cause of guilt which has manifested in your life. When you do this the source will not be the true voice within yourself, but an outer one. It may be a person or group who have led you to believe that the violation of a certain command is so bad that you are unworthy and must suffer shame and guilt for violating it.

To release yourself you must find these sources who have power to command you and let them go.

After you see yourself letting them go say this:

“I care not whether the outer gods are good or bad, but at this moment I let them go. I no longer serve them but instead I obey the first commandment and serve the true God which speaks directly to me. He has released me from the power of outer gods and replaced guilt with love and nurturing.

“Let all praise and honor and glory be to the One True God in whom I place my trust.”

Copyright by J J Dewey

For Part 1 of this series go HERE

For Part 3 of this series go HERE

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