Crossing the Bridge from Ego to Awareness

Where are you? Spirit asks me.

You know where I am.

Yes, but do you?

Somewhere along The Way.

Then He tells me that I’m crossing a bridge
from Ego to Awareness.

Have I reached midway?

There is no midway.

Then, how could I possible know where I am?

You could glance back.

How far back?

As far as you can, or as far as you care to.

I’ve come a long way I confidently tell Him.

Relative to what?

Or to whom?

No.

Why not?

We can never know exactly where anyone else is
along The Way.

Wouldn’t it show?

In what way?

Behaviour-wise. Surely their actions would express
where they were.

How can anyone know why anyone else does what she
or he does or seems to be doing?

Then, how could I choose whom to travel with?

Would you choose by actions that please or
displease you?

How else?

You might choose your companion by what they say.

How could I ever know that they were saying
what they believed was so?

Actions and words as possibly being for effect?

Yes.

Yes.

Then, how can I know?

How can you relate to me?

Our energies seem to harmonize, more or less.

Yes.

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We Each Have a Reason For Being Whom We Are

Spirit tells me that the purpose of unconditional
love is …

Does unconditional love have a purpose?

Everything has a purpose.

And everyone?

And every one what?

Does everyone have a purpose?

As in a reason?

Yes, I guess.

Yes, you guess what?

I guess I mean to ask if everyone
has a reason, but …

But what?

I suspect you will then ask me
to complete my sentence.

Yes.

Do we each have a reason for being
whom we are?

Yes.

What reason do I have for being
whom I am?

What reason would you have for being
anyone else?

I lose?

Yes.

Awareness is not an End in Itself

Spirit tells me, as if to console my aching heart,
that letting go was never easy
for anyone who ever felt they needed to be
connected to whatever or whomever, until
there didn’t seem to be an acceptable alternative.

The interconnecting energy relaxes on its own,
or will if we will let it.

It didn’t seem to need permission.

We need to learn to allow ourselves to feel
connected as long as it seems to make sense
to be so, and then, the bonds of relationship
relax, gently or otherwise, to facilitate
adaptation to newly developed awareness.

Close relationships will always be close,
unless …

Unless what?

Unless they seem …

To become more or less close?

Yes. Are you aware that you are aware of
a change in certain relationships?

Yes, and yet not as an observer of
outside events.

Yes. We can become increasing aware of
our inner feelings and rationalize
about them without denying them.

Yes, and self-awareness seems to be
non-judgmental.

Yes. It accepts that what is, is,
for whatever reason.

So, where do we go from here?

From where?

From accepting that we feel whatever
strength of whatever emotion about
whatever situation or relationship.

Then it’s time to think and rationalize
about where to go from here.

Feeling has served its purpose?

Yes. Now it’s time to choose
how to act on our awareness.

Then, awareness is not an end it itself?

Never. The price of awareness is responsibility
for whatever response we choose in whatever
situation.

It Serves us Well to Remember

Spirit tells me that it serves us well
to remember the horror of tragic events
that might never have happened if …

If what?

If violence was not socially acceptable.

By whom?

By those who commit acts of violence.

How is that possible? Surely, for
whatever reason or reasons, surprise
attacks on thousands of unsuspecting
and unarmed people, as happened
on a day like today, not many years
ago, must have made sense to someone.

The attackers?

Perhaps they were persuaded by some
evil genius that what they were asked
to do was of value to a cause
that justified mass murder.

Yes.

Then, how can we create a world community
wherein such thinking is unthinkable?

We can only create such a community
with individuals who learn to care
for all other individuals.

Surely that is impossible.

Why?

We seem to need to come together
in small groups of people wherein
we each contribute our unique skills
for the benefit of the whole
community; our chosen community.

How would such a small community
be chosen?

Shared values.

And, how would you develop
shared values?

Education?

Yes, but education is never enough.

Then, what else?

This world, and every community,
large and small, within it, needs
individual role models, mentors,
teachers, care givers, and leaders
who understand why they were chosen
to lead.

Is it possible to create such
a world community?

Yes.

Perhaps We Have Reasons of Our Own

Spirit tells me that once we begin to move
uphill in spiritual awareness, we are unlike
a ball rolling downhill. It would take
an inner force to slow or stop us.

What inner force or forces would slow
or stall our progress?

Resistance to oneness.

Please explain.

We are never alone on our journey of life.
We share our experience of physical life
and its multitude of situations, events,
and challenges with a cast of seemingly
unknowable numbers of people, and other
life forms, interacting with each other,
or pretending not to.

But, in addition to all the the physical
senses are aware of, there are also
untold numbers of non-physical beings who
send their energies as loving arms,
to assist and protect us.

What good can they do for me and others
if we are unaware of their existence?

We can imagine they are with us.

Make believe?

Not exactly.

Then, what?

We each have an inner sense – call it
intuition, or conscience – of how
to respect and care for each other.

We also each possess a unique gift
or calling, some more than others,
for reasons beyond the scope of
our discussion.

We each seem to need to develop in
unique ways that emotional desire
directs us toward.

So, we need to listen to our own
inner voice?

Exactly.

As a first step to visualizing
spirit teachers, guides, and friends?

Yes.

Does that describe my relationship
with you?

No.

Yes. I thought not. Then, where
do you come in?

Not where, but why.

Then, why?

Why what?

Why would you spend precious time
and energy with a slow learner,
not to mention an aging one,
such as myself.

It’s never too late to learn. and …

And what?

Perhaps we have reasons of our own.

Dreams serve us well, or can.

Spirit tells me that dreams serve us well,
even if we cannot remember them, upon awakening.

They are designed to help us see symbolic
meaning between situations and personalities,
whether human, animal, bird, or imaginary
creatures, within the dream and similar
situations, events and characters within
our everyday non-sleeping world of illusion.

Situations and stories play out in dreams,
and then, usually, end suddenly. We wake up
to a different world of more easily
understood situations and characters.

Perhaps we have just become accustomed to
the events and actors in our waking world?

Yes, and familiarity can easily breed
deceit.

In what way?

Advertisers, politicians, educators,
news reporters, and even many parents
use a pretense of authority and truth,
and intentional dishonest to persuade,
or pressure young and trusting minds.

But, in my dream I witnessed a crow
doing what crows could not likely do.

Were you aware of this during the dream?

I seem to remember being confused
and in awe.

But, you accepted the situation as being
valid.

Yes.

Why did you not question something that
did not seem to make sense?

Because I was witnessing the event.
It was only in my mind that it did
not make sense.

You read fictitious stories without
expecting them to be real.

But, surely, real life is not
a fictitious story.

Then, why do you not question events
and situations in your so-called
waking life that do not seem to make
sense, and people claiming to be
what you know they are not.

Perhaps they have a hidden agenda.

Yes.

But, I’m only one person. What possible
useful purpose would it serve for me
to …

So you adopt more socially acceptable
position of pretending not to know?

I guess. But, if whatever untruth
is generally accepted, then surely
I would serve no useful purpose, and
some others must know but, like me,
prefer to pretend not to.

Why?

It’s easier, and possibly, safer.

Yes.

Awareness as a thermometer; not a thermostat, until …

Spirit tells me that personal awareness is as a thermometer,
not a thermostat until …

Until what?

Until it is programmed.

How does one program awareness?

How does one program a thermostat?

It contains a built-in thermometer and when the measured
heat level reaches or drops to a preset temperature, then
the thermostat kicks in, or turns on, to maintain
the chosen level of heat.

Why is a particular level of heat chosen?

For personal comfort.

Exactly.

How does that relate to awareness?

Everyone is aware, at a chosen comfort level.

Then, how can we raise our awareness?

Adjust your personal comfort level.

Of what?

Truth.

You’re getting personal.

Yes.

But, it hurts.

Of course it hurts, until you let go.

Of my illusions?

Yes.

But, how?

With love.

How can love help?

Not just love, unconditional love.

How does it work?

We love some stories that we know are fiction.

And, unconditional love is like that?

Yes, more or less.

More or less?

Yes.

Dear Reader, Spirit challenges me to think deeply about life as I live it,
moment by moment,even during simple activities of daily living.
If you enjoy witnessing my struggle to grow in understanding, then you are
welcome to join us on our other blogs:
Grass-Roots Spiritual Philosophy 101 @ jeanw5dotcom.wordpress.com
I Ching as a Way to Enlightenment @ spiritsharesgemsofwisdom.wordpress.com

More is not necessarily better

Today’s I Ching is 46 – Rising.

 

Spirit explains: Rising follows Gathering in a natural succession.

As we gather together, we rise in numbers, but quantity is not

Necessarily a rising in quality. More is not in itself better or

Worse than less.

 

What does that mean for me?

 

You seem to always want more of something without considering

How it would balance with less of something else.

We pay a price.

 

Or would, if You let me have my way?

 

Yes.

 

 

Faith vs Ego as Illusion vs Illusion?

Spirit tells me that His name is Fellop, which, He explains, is not an

Exclusive and personal name, as that would suggest a false sense of

Self, such as some materialized beings seem to need to cling to.

 

Fellop is an abbreviation of Fellowship, which is a group of

Dedicated teachers who, because we are composed of

Less-dense matter than physical people, these seem to

Refer to us as spirits, invisibles, ghosts, imaginary, etc.

 

Our purpose is to help whomever we can to co-create a healthier,

More enjoyable, and more meaningful life.

 

It all sounds so noble that I am annoyed at myself for questioning

Why Spirit is sharing this information with me. My response

Seems so inappropriate and disrespectful.

 

He reads my mind but neither approves nor disapproves of

My thoughts. It doesn’t seem to concern Him at all.

 

You have a personal problem, He tells me; a conflict between

Faith and Doubt, when each is an illusion.

 

 

As Essence is to Form

Spirit tells me that we are to each other as essence is to form, and

as such, we are each necessarily incomplete without the other.

 

Essence, He explains, can only express itself within the constraints

That form provides, or, as some seem to think, imposes.

 

Form contains and protects essence, providing a safe,

Though limited space within which it is free to express

Itself.

 

As your spirit teacher, I express my truth, which is my essence,

Through you, though not exclusively through you. But, an even

More highly developed energy may express His or Her essence

Through me.

 

Together we each and all contain and express one essence,

In our own way, which we have developed by blending

Together ideas and habits absorbed into our consciousness

From many sources.

 

In essence, He concludes, essence and form are one.