Everyman's Journal 2011, #73 © 2011 Rev. David Seacord November 15 To fear or not to fear, that is the question… ________________________________ Each event in our lives offers many amazing opportunities to grow, to step forward into self-discovery, to look more deeply into the infinite introspective mirror and tell the truth about whatever we can now see. It is like this thing of being a spirit (or soul) inhabiting a body is purposefully designed to be the most exquisite game that the most intelligent intelligence--- the most supreme intelligence in fact--- could have possibly designed. And inside the design of the game is its self-extension, itsgrowth too. That growth is (I am seeing) propelled by our growth, my growth, your growth. So that in a very real way, everything we individually do to develop our own consciousness also has the effect of enlarging (and fulfilling) the consciousness of that which we call 'God'. The Pathway to 'winning' the game of God-consciousness lies in perfecting our selflessness. There is no other place to stand in this universe where the karmic sword of our actions is not two-edged and where it will not cause suffering, not cut both ways…others, and ourselves also. But in becoming a selfless being, that possibility does exist… to become free of being cut, being wounded, or entering into any form of suffering. This is why the ancient Zen writing says: "Attachment (clinging) cannot be limited… even to be attached to the idea of enlightenment is to go astray…". Yet because it is our own mind that grasps or clings to a belief, a concept, a tradition, a projection, a relationship, a desire…. anything… we therefore are the only ones with the power to ungrasp and release ourselves. Whenever we choose not to do that when life has led us with clarity to the portal of another such opportunity, the reason always lies in the fears still being harbored in our own mind. Many years ago, I once heard a teacher say: "The beginning of mastery is always in the telling of the truth". I don't believe he was saying 'Don't ever, under any circumstances, lie about ANYTHING to another person'. There are too many circumstances that would result in increasing suffering needlessly for that to be that teachers communication intent. No, my experience has confirmed that it is to ourselves that we must not lie… and we must be very rigorous about this, lest we sink in awareness by choosing to pull over us the covers of self-deception. I have personally done this enough in the past to know there is no reward there…. that it is much better to take a deep breath, pray for courage, and then face whatever demon we and 'the game' have co-created as our next challenge. Our greatest ally in this is our conscious clarity… that ability to look the challenge in the face and examine it for both the truth and the falseness that it contains. I mean, THAT is the whole game, in a nutshell… can I, can you... DISTINGUISH between what is true, and what is false AND STILL REMEMBER THAT ALL OF IT IS ONE. If we can (and we can when we are committed to practicing rigorous self-honesty) then we will find our hearts healed of all our past sufferings, we begin to live into the future with an increasing fearlessness and without worry, and in the present, we learn to quickly forgive ourselves our errors and missteps and clean them up, and then to return to the ever-present business of a conscious being: Teaching by our example that there is truly nothing to fear, that there is no Reality but God/Love/The One. Namaste, David *********************************** 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. *********************************** 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) www.thelovedeclaration.org (info on The Love Declaration) To subscribe, simply click on the code below to open the subscribe window. http://davidseacord.us1.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=306aba00e6959c604de750bcc&id=62a1ee7045