We Develop Abusive Habits

A Spirit Teacher shares His understanding of timeless wisdom
as it applies to human nature in every situation and in every
culture; past, present, and future.

How can wisdom be timeless?

Because human nature is also timeless, in that it is grounded
in emotion.

That may be true, but …

It is true.

How does timeless wisdom apply to abusive behaviour.

Timeless wisdom inspires healthy emotions, thoughts, and
actions. Abuse of others or self is neither healthy nor
life-sustaining.

Should we forgive those who abuse us?

How can abuse be forgiven? That would be an unhealthy
response. What good purpose would it serve? None at all.
In fact, it might even encourage more abuse.

Abuse, He tells me, is unhealthy behaviour regardless of
who is abusing whom, or even whether the one being abused
accepts ill treatment. That would express self-abuse.

How then can we respond in a healthy way to abuse when
we can’t protect ourselves from it?

We make choices and perhaps past choices helped to create
the abusive situation.

Why do you speak of an abusive situation and not of
an abusive person?

There are none.

Please explain.

We develop abusive habits or we don’t.

An an addiction?

Yes.

A dynamic relationship

Spirit tells me that He and I are as separate assortments of
energy systems, each containing the same energies as the other
but in different strengths and qualities.

We must learn to harmonize with each other, not to homogenize
our particular unique mix of strengths and weaknesses.

We must learn from the concept of Yin and Yang, who share
a dynamic relationship without denying or seeking to
diminish the intrinsic value of the other.

This is our chosen way of life, and perhaps some day
it will be so with everyone.

The non-dual nature of reality

Spirit shares gems of wisdom.

Spirit tells me that serving life is not an option and that
we each and every one do serve; some more, some less.

Whether we know it or not?

At some level of awareness, we know it. But, we may be
too grounded in physical and material illusion
to consciously consider, or very much care about,
our degree of impact on those with whom we share
our environment, or, possibly, the environment itself.

Many of us fail to see that we may be part of
the environment, from the perspective of some others,
if they are even aware enough to notice us at all.

What about personal relationships?

What about them?

Are they no more or less than a part of our awareness?

Outside of oneself?

Yes.

No.

I hesitate to ask about what seems to be suggested.

The non-dual nature of reality?

Yes.

Why hesitate?

I’m not ready to deal with it.

Yes.

There is no lasting structure

Spirit shares gems of wisdom.

Spirit tells me that everything I say or do should be for a reason
that I understand and can accept responsibility for.

He encourages me to live life here and now, day by day, and to create
a living and lived philosophy of life, and to become what I know I can
become; more and more what I really am, by living with purpose and
meaning.

That sounds beautiful but how do I set attainable goals.

These are attainable goals.

But, the horizon is too distant and unattainable for me. I need
structure.

Yes, and there is none, none that is lasting.

A controlling interest

Spirit Shares Gems of Wisdom

Spirit asks me, what is our relationship? That puzzles me, as I believe it is as a student and teacher – a one-to-one, as a private tutor, as people with money might purchase.

I am not for sale, He tells me, which is just as well, since I have no money. Perhaps I could never have as much as it might take to offer what He is worth, to me.

But, student and teacher is only part of what our relationship is all about and so I must answer, I don’t know, yet.

Can we pretend, He then asks, to be what we know we are and can we relate to each other as we do, or seem to?

Then Spirit responds to my confused thoughts and emotions with, “Yes, I seem to have a controlling interest in your life and I do, for now.”

Is Self-Control an Ego Trip?

Spirit tells me that He is only one of many Spirit Teachers who
seek to help willing people to create a satisfying lifestyle,
and that His Fellowship Group are not at all interested in
helping everyone, only those who genuinely care for the world
they live in and for themselves, enough to resist as much as
they can, unhealthy habits. Self-control in all things is
our way, He claims.

It all sounds so noble that I’m annoyed at myself for even
listening to a cynical voice from somewhere in my mind that
whispers to me that, perhaps, His ego has escaped self-control.

Is Acceptance Necessarily Contentment?

Spirit tells me that acceptance is contentment.

How can I feel content about accepting something
that I can’t change?

What else would you feel?

Defeated.

In losing a battle you know or believe that
you never could win?

What else could I feel?

Satisfied with yourself that you did, if you did,
everything you could do to win.

And satisfaction is as contentment?

In this case, yes

Are we referring to a specific case?

Yes, and no.

As particular and general?

Yes.

We Fear Losing Control

Spirit tells me tht we express love by caring for and
respecting that or those whom we claim to love.

But, there are unlimited degrees of quantity and quality
of care and respect.

Yes, and there are unlimited degrees of love.

And quality?

Love itself expresses the quality of our soul’s
development.

Can we control love?

No. What we don’t express, we don’t have to express.
Love is limited only by the personal restrictions
we put on ourselves. We each possess the potential
to love unconditionally.

Then, why don’t we?

We fear losing control.

Do we only think we know what we are?

Spirit refuses to accept my complaint that I am what I am and
I need what I need.

No! He claims. I only think I am whatever and need whatever,
without thinking deeply.

So, if I thought deeply, if I could, then what would I
think I am and need?

You would not think. You would know that you are spirit
living a physical life, and you would be aware that it
is all an illusion, except for the awareness that you
may have developed from playing the Game of Life,
according to whatever rules your particular society has
designed for you.

If different societies play the Game of Life by different
rules, and we are all becoming, more or less, citizens of
a world community, then how can we possibly interact with
each other?

The Rules of Life of different cultures, societies,
communities, or even neighbourhoods do not necessarily
have to be the same.

That may work in separated traditions but when people
migrate from one set of generally accepted set of rules
to another, then surely they need to adapt or learn to
live within the two cultures, without rejecting their
past.

They are their past, or at least they are a product of
past experiences.

The answer?

Respect for past traditions while adapting, or
creating our own set of rules to live by. Whatever
choice we make, however we choose to live our life,
we do choose and accept, consciously or otherwise,
the consequences, if there are any, and there
always are.

Your story is my story

Spirit tells me that our personal stories must necessarily be incomplete and less than real.

“How can my life story be less than real?”

“Who experienced it?”

“I did.”

“And who recorded it?”

“I did.”

“How?”

“Through memories. How else?”

“Someone might have told you your story when you were too young to be aware of how true it was.”

“If so, that was then.”

“Your story can never be then. Life stories are never then and now, unless there are two or more versions of the same story, and there always are.”

“Then how can we know our own story?”

“It isn’t possible. We’re living interconnected life stories.”

“Then your story and mine may be the same story?”

“Yes, from different perspectives.”