A universal assembly for true discernment
Please read quotes 981-984 in The Seven Steps to Awakening with your inner teacher. Here is the last quote:
By all means wish yourself well. Think over, feel out deeply what is really good for you and strive for it earnestly. Very soon you will find that the real is your only good.
Note: The next Daily Contemplation will be available tomorrow morning after 2am ET at this link.
~Commentary on False Perception~
The closed-box is false perception. False perception is a way of seeing what is as if it is something it isn’t. False perception can also be called blindness, because it hides the truth from the mind that has chosen to be deceived.
The good news, however, is simply this: “It hides the truth from the mind that has chosen to be deceived.” And if the mind has chosen to be deceived, it can also choose again by choosing not to re-believe its own deception.
Ask, “What am I believing that is not in alignment with what I am?” And as you ask this question, remember that you do not know what you are. If you can ask this question with the realization you know not what you are, the thinking mind will not be able to figure out an answer. Any answer that is given is given by true awareness. Therefore, it is a truly helpful answer.
You need not know what you are doing to be helped by God, for God does know. God can show you and enlighten you if only you will surrender with a desire to be shown.
~From our Holy Spirit
The past is a limit you place
on the present and the future.
As you choose the past as a limit
you see what you expect.
This is a limit
or a closed-box experience.
But the walls of the box
have been built by you,
and by meaning you have chosen to believe.
Nothing holds the box in place
but you
through your choice
to re-believe the meaning of the past
again and again.
~From our Holy Spirit
In this program, we watched and discussed a selected TED talk. TED talks follow a unique format. Speakers at TED events have a maximum of 18 minutes to share their messages, which are delivered in highly polished, succinct speeches. TED talks are delivered by people from all walks of life on a multitude of subjects. A great many of these talks are about the insights gained by ordinary people–insights gained through extraordinary experiences or based on their contemplation of the ordinary events of their lives. Either way, their insights are genuine—not based upon theory or dogma, but through experience.
The title of this Ted talk is “How to Escape the Cynicism Trap.” Jamil Zaki was the speaker.
Some days, it’s hard to be optimistic. But cynicism — the idea that people are inherently selfish, greedy, and dishonest — is making humanity lonelier and more divided, says psychologist Jamil Zaki. Presenting fascinating research on cooperation, empathy, and trust, Zaki makes the scientific case for optimism and shows us how to break out of the cynicism trap.
This group was facilitated by Rev. Jacquelyn Eckert.
In this program, Paul through the vehicle of Satsang and repetition will be helping us to let go of misidentification and recognize Being Consciousness as our Truth.
Paul suggests repetition through Satsangs is helpful. It is an example of how the dreamING repurposes another programming element, repetition. What was used to (mis)identify, becomes instead a helpful undoing within the dreaming of that identification. The helpfulness of the Message is recognized in what Paul calls “traveling lighter.” In the surrender of an assumed need to escape/improve, the ever-present reality of consciousness already now/here becomes where our interest stays. Being consciousness in contact (in/as/through sensory experiencING), we appreciate being “successful” – already, as that Reality.
You can also learn more about Paul on his website www.zenbitchslap.com or his YouTube channel under the same title (Zen Bitchslap).
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In this program, Reverends Jacquelyn Eckert and Glen Ganaway review and discuss A Course In Miracles from a non-dual, interfaith perspective. The two of them discuss the main themes and key principles of the Course and how they are lived in our shared lives.
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During our time together, we will explore what it takes to live from an open, undefended heart. Naturally, any true exploration of living from the heart necessarily entails taking a deep and sustained look at what prevents us from keeping our hearts open. Grounded in the knowledge that the essence of us, our true nature, is the very lovingness within us all, we will explore how to recognize and release egoic energies by cultivating open-hearted awareness practices which support us in directly experiencing our true Self. By leaning into willingness, steeped in self-honesty, and with a consistent dash of courage, we endeavor to open to whatever life brings, as it brings it, that is, on life’s terms. In so doing, we trust that everything – absolutely everything – is here for us to use for healing, for purification, and for learning to live from the heart. We look forward to supporting each other in our individual explorations of how we truly embrace the entirety of this show we call life.
Please note: it may be necessary to download the audio to listen to it fully.
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During a recent Being Aware of Awareness meditation Rhoda Makled facilitated a loving all meditation. Find a place where you will be undisturbed. If it is comfortable, put on headsets or earbuds.
Relax, and enjoy this meditation.
This evening (or tomorrow morning):
Read NTI 1 Timothy 3 (v8-10) to the end of the chapter.
Tomorrow:
Please read quotes 977-980 in The Seven Steps to Awakening with your inner teacher. Here is the last quote:
That which is alive in you is immortal.
Note: The next Daily Contemplation will be available tomorrow morning after 2am ET at this link.
When you read today’s message, please surrender to it. It is a message about surrender, but in order to fully realize the lesson in the message, you will have to surrender to the message.
When today’s message asks you to do something, surrender to it, and do it right then. If there are thoughts in your mind that say you don’t need to do it, or you don’t have time to do it, or you can do it later, practice self-inquiry to notice how the mind is trying to stop you from surrendering.
Why would the mind try to stop you from surrendering?
Is the mind trying to control you?
Is the mind in control of you, or is your Heart in the lead in your daily life?
In the Bible at John 15:4, Jesus said:
“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.”
“Abide in me as I abide in you,” is a call to surrender. The “fruit” that Jesus spoke of is awakening. Just as he told the disciples previously that salvation (awakening) is not possible for man, but only for God, this scripture points out that awakening is not possible if the mind remains in the lead. Surrender is necessary.
When I was the scribe of Inner Ramana, I received guidance to add, “Abide in me as I abide in you,” to my mantra practice. In other words, just as I said, “I am that I am” to myself whenever the reminder came to do so, I also said, “Abide in me as I abide in you,” to myself whenever the reminder came to do so. As I used this mantra, I felt my inner desire to surrender. Through using the mantra, my resistance to surrender weakened, because I noticed that I (the true ‘I’) wanted to surrender. As I became more aware of my desire to surrender, surrender came more easily to me.
If you feel guidance to journal about anything you read as you read today’s message, surrender to that inner prompt, and journal with inner wisdom as guided.
The past has no meaning now.
Any meaning it ever had
was only the meaning you gave it.
Now is a fresh moment.
This means that meaning from the past
can be looked at anew
and new meaning can be given.
However to make this change
do not deny one critical point.
Any meaning the past seemed to have
was absolutely given by you.
~From our Holy Spirit
