Today we go even deeper into ‘Choice A’ and ‘Choice B,’ which were introduced in yesterday’s tip. Today we are told that we see a world of differences, which is not there, because we want to see it; we value it.
This is where A Course in Miracles and other truth teachings can become a little difficult to accept. You may feel resistance to this message. However, let’s put any resistance we may feel aside and look at today’s lesson and ourselves objectively (without judgment).
We are told that we see this world because we value it. Is that true? There is a way you can find out. How much of your time is spent thinking about you and the world from your point-of-view? And how much of your time is spent in awareness-watching-awareness, turning attention away from the world and away from thought, and turning attention towards the Self?
If we look honestly at how we spend our time, we can see which we value more.
In “The Most Direct Means to Eternal Bliss,” Chapter 5, Michael Langford writes, “How will you know that you have made Choice A? When you drop all unnecessary activities everyday, and use all of the free time thus created to actually practice everyday the most rapid and direct means to eternal bliss, you will know you have made Choice A.”
Let’s look at the story of Nisargadatta Maharaj. He said:
“My Guru told me, ‘Go back to that state of pure being, where the ‘I am’ is still in its purity before it got contaminated with ‘this I am’ or ‘that I am’. Your burden is of false self-identifications — abandon them all.’ My Guru told me — ‘Trust me. I tell you; you are divine. Take it as the absolute truth. Your joy is divine; Your suffering is divine too. All comes from God. Remember it always. You are God, your will alone is done’. I did believe him and soon realised how wonderfully true and accurate were his words. I did not condition my mind by thinking: ‘I am God, I am wonderful, I am beyond’. I simply followed his instruction which was to focus the mind on pure being ‘I am’, and stay in it. I used to sit for hours together, with, nothing but the ‘I am’ in my mind and soon peace and joy and a deep all-embracing love became my normal state. In it all disappeared — myself, my Guru, the life I lived, the world around me. Only peace remained and unfathomable silence.”
That is the story of how the world of differences disappeared and another, the divine Self, came into view. Nisargadatta valued truth enough to sit for hours each day with attention turned away from the world and towards the Self, until the former disappeared, and the latter shined forth as the only reality.
We contemplate this today: What do I want?
This is the “Consistent, Gentle Healing Group,” and so we are increasing our time spent in awareness-watching-awareness meditation gradually. Are we now spending at least 15-20 minutes a day in awareness-watching-awareness as we are asked? Are we doing the other homework assignments, which are intended to help increase our desire for truth?
Spend today in contemplation of ‘Choice A’ and ‘Choice B,’ and ask yourself if you value ‘Choice A’ enough to spend time each day consciously making that choice
