Everyman's Journal 2011

Everyman's Journal 2011, #14

January 15

The subtle and not so subtle 'reality checks' of our spiritual lives are 'all-pervasive', just like the gravity-pressured air we breathe. For in Reality, there is no 'time off', and no escaping from our dharma. That does not, however, mean we can never let our hair down. It just means whatever we choose to do, we are still always fully responsible for our actions. That is spiritual law, which operates just like we experience gravity (as a foundational organizing principle), and just like Love gives life its only true meaning.

This may occur as a burden, but it is actually a liberty. It is a liberty because when we have recognized our dharma is simply 'being here, right now, forever'....then there is little remaining need to escape anything that arises, because we can see that what arises is, and is always going to be, in a perfect dance with our growth needs.

Example... at a store I frequent because of it's fresh produce a flirty bilingual cashier had been 'being friendly' enough to awaken my 'arising'. Of course, I have just recently written about 'doing nothing' in those kind of situations. But Universe wants to see if I'm for real (which means I want to see if I'm for real too, right?) so this particular flirty package comes well-designed to hit my ego's initial impression sweet spot. Oh boy, I think... here we go again... but I know there is no use running away... no, my karma completion protocol directives in this arena are clear. It's called 'master being IN the fire'. How? The way I find always works....I end my fantasies with bites of reality. I notice she's wearing rubber gloves, and I ask her 'why?'. "To protect my nails", she replies (in a way that let's me know they are expensive and very important to her, like the batting mascara eyelids and the cheek makeup framing her ever-so-sweet smile probably are important too). Right there I know everything I need to know to complete all spiritual ego fantasies of 'being met', but the pure physical/chemical thing isn't quite finished... yet. I know intuitively I have to allow myself to go closer, to get that part 'cooked'.

A couple of days later, as I enter the store, she's idle, and I stop and talk with her. Her mood is a little different (and I'm more prepared)... as we talk she reveals that she thinks 'her boyfriend' is dissing (distancing) her. She hasn't heard from him in a week. "Why's he doing that?" she asks me. Recognizing she is in an emotionally thick self-worth dilemma, I offer some supportive affirmation kind of thoughts... that she is attractive and will be OK if he doesn't return etc. She perks up a bit, declaring "yeah, I might not take him back". The thing about it (for my karma completion) is that I didn't intrigue or collude, and by stepping closer with integrity, a balanced and appropriate chemistry manifested, and I was happily converted to 'a friend'.

Today, the line at her counter was long, and another line nearly empty. I took the short line, and when leaving, called over a friendly greeting. Inside me was the knowing that I was clean, and that now I was in position to be of service to her, disguised as a friendly customer who was not on her meet-market list.

The karma of emotional/physical bonding is often a slippery slope for we spiritually-minded, and is therefore very important to address honestly. Peter and I talked about how I might use my own personal/emotional feelings that occasionally arise as 'grist for the mill' (anybody remember the book of that title that Ram Dass wrote?) for deeper liberation, and as an opportunity to practice detachment. And he suggested I read the Herman Hesse book 'Narcissus and Goldmund' too (which is about this subject, Narcissus personifying the reveler, and Goldmund the renunciant). I will do that, and report how that goes.

In the meantime, I am seeing that there is really nothing to do but keep on surrendering, accepting each new (or old) 'lila' that comes or goes---these seemingly endless dramas that we create (or God gives us) to learn to Love from. As we practice working through 'our material', and we/I don't cling, don't grasp, don't desire, don't push away AND don't long for more illusions, the world of sticky karma begins to recede, and an amazing fully responsible freedom to be arises. From there, we just keep going.... until there is finally nowhere to go. This, called 'stopping the mind', is a revered doorway to authentic awakening, for it is 'the state itself'. What we discover when awake is that being at one with 'the all-pervasive IS' is inescapable (Thank you, God)... and our inevitable dharma... one we inhale by in-taking each new breath. (Which is why conscious breath work is also 'an inevitable part of the path'...)

Namaste,

David

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My partnership request.... Please consider yourself an important gateway this message is passing through on its way to others. Please do 'send it on'. Thank you.

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Rev. David Seacord

Fine Art Painter / Sufi Cherag

david@davidseacord.com

www.davidseacord.com

(my fine art website)

www.davidseacord-everymansjournal.blogspot.com

(archived writings and poetry, circa 2002 to 2004)

www.davidseacord-acimcommentaries.blogspot.com

(archived 2010 writings on the lessons of A Course in Miracles)

www.everymansjournal2011.blogspot.com

(archived entries of this years Everyman's Journal)