The Greater Self

When we think of ourselves as single individuals, we lose sight of our true power. It is this feeling of separation from who we really are, the Created Self, that is the seed of impossibility thinking. Instead of focusing on who we are, we can focus on what we have become, which is our Created Self. Oneness can be viewed as a universe with one mind, but with billions of individual brains that contribute to the whole, rather than billions of individual brains all going in separate directions. We share the one mind and consciousness with everything and everyone around us, including animals and plants. The Greater Self is an extension and expression of the infinite one mind, which may be called by many different names.

The definitive research has been done to prove that the mind influences the body. The most important area to address is how the mind can be used to influence the body most effectively. Beyond the body, emotions, and mind, there is another aspect of healing that needs to be addressed: the spiritual aspect. Health involves body, mind and spirit. While the mind alone can be used to influence the physical state, it is used most effectively when it is aware of spirit. Spirit is defined as the life principle, especially in humans, and the feeling and motivating part of our lives. Working with spirit means enhancing our connection with this life principle. It means asking questions about why we're here on this planet, and about our own unique purpose in life. Spirit gives us resources that can't be reached through traditional psychological approaches. It opens us to healing forces that go far beyond our current understanding of our own limits. We can learn to bring that power into our own lives. Just like a dis-ease in the body indicates a deeper dis-ease in the mind, a dis-ease in the mind indicates a deeper dis-ease in the spirit or inner self. As we break down the mental dis-ease of the moment, allowing it to reveal what is really bothering us, we find unresolved disease that has been with us for a lifetime.

Fears, guilt, hurts, grievances and self-rejection from past situations or with life in general are the source of the uneasiness or dis-ease we feel on a daily basis, whether we are aware of it or not. We may have unknowingly chosen to anesthetize ourselves from ourselves, keeping far away from deeper issues, but the effects rage on. For healing to be complete on the physical part, it needs to be completed on the spiritual. Questions like "What am I really so fearful of?" "What am I so guilty about?" "What am I so hurt about?" "What grievances am I still holding on to?" "Where did all this self-rejection come from?" should be asked.

No matter what is going on externally or even internally, a source of unlimited, unchangeable and unconditional power is always behind it all. In fact, we will never know true freedom until these core-issues are touched and resolved. But, behind it all, behind the so-called dis-ease, is the real power. Since we are filled with this Power, then blocking the pain also blocks the power. We cannot get around it, behind it, or through it, this Power is one with all our feelings. Denying one, we deny it all; feeling one we feel it all. The normal view is that we are physical beings given a spiritual dimension to evolve more physically. The natural view is that we are spiritual beings given a physical dimension to grow more spiritually.

True health only starts at the body, a dis-ease free and radiantly healthy body is only the physical dimension of our health. Being truly healthy means that we are as spiritually well as we are physically well. The spiritual dimension of our being is the most valuable to our health and yet too often the least valued. We have chosen the path of machine over mind, the path of statistics over spirit. Somewhere along the line as a society, our senses became dazzled by the phenomena of medical science, that we lost sight of the healing power of our own being. This focus on external things and the disdain for anything that sensed of the spiritual, especially regarding health, probably began with the separation of Church and State, which commenced in the 1500's.

To limit our health to what we can physically do to the body, and ignore what comes spiritually through the body, leaves us totally dependent on someone or something else to keep us well. In a way, we are right back to the days of church domination--The Church of Modern Medicine--only this time the leaders work from the laboratory, instead of a pulpit. Churches have dominated the minds of the people for centuries, but to eliminate all that spirituality has to offer because of this problem is cutting off our nose to spite our "faith!" The cure for our suffering and the answers to our prayers, are in the higher dimensions of our being. This separation of the spiritual and the physical is in good part responsible for our dilemma in health today.

Jesus said "It is not I but the Father within that doeth the work." The Father within, the Power within, God, the Spirit or any name that we choose to call this higher aspect of healing, matters little. Jesus also said, "Seek ye first the spiritual and all else will follow." What matters is that we know that this healing is constantly available to us anytime, and all the time, and not just waiting but wanting to flow through our being. Knowing that there is a healing spirit, that is greater than any problem in our body, can finally put our mind at ease. Even if a dis-ease free world were to be achieved, would we be happy, would we have found peace? We need to realize that health problems are not the cause of our unhappiness and lack of peace; it is our unhappiness and lack of peace that cause our health problems. The things in life don't bring us the happiness and peace, happiness and peace bring us things in life. True health is as much a security with the universe as it is a wellness with the body; it is spiritual at least as much as it is physical. Vitamins, nutrition, therapy, herbs, homeopathic remedies, massage, and cleansing are all valuable but they are not spiritual.

We need to nourish our spirit with at least as much enthusiasm as we nourish our body and concern ourselves with what is toxic to our spirit even more than with what is toxic to our body. Then and only then the truth of holistic health, as well as the higher purpose of our being, is served. There would be far less stress, problems and work in our life if we "sought first the spiritual." Seeking first the physical certainly hasn't worked to give us the peace, health, wealth and ease to which we are entitled. There can be no true satisfaction on any level until we open up to all levels. Nature uses our body and its diseases to aid our inner growth. The body, as well as all areas of our external life, serves as a printout of our mental and spiritual state of being. Dis-ease, pain, difficulty, and discomfort in our body and in our life, signals us to a dis-ease on the inside where the suffering is really most profound. Physical ills, from a pain in the neck to a pain in the heart, are our cue to stop and find a way to return to mental and spiritual ease.

Physical ills can be our greatest teachers and greatest healers. When we realize that there is a wholeness clause that is part of our human makeup, we will look at the body and all physical aspects of our life as the path, not the problem, the gauge not the goal. From this perspective, the richness to our life is limitless and compounded daily. If we keep our eyes on the road of life, watch our body and external life for signals of where to turn within, as well as healing the beliefs of the past, the ride can be smooth and dis-ease free. Disease of all kinds is meant to stop us in our tracks and get us back on the road to inner and outer bliss. External dis-ease and pain automatically heal when we heal internally and evolve spiritually; in fact, this is the only way. There is no point in being settled physically and unsettled spiritually. From guilt of the past, emptiness in the present and fear about the future, these spiritually unhealed feelings dull even the best of times. Happiness, peace and security are not the by-product of the products that we buy. The more immersed and obsessed that we are in the physical dimension of life, the less connected and open we can be to the spiritual dimension. "Ye cannot serve two masters." It is in the spiritual that the true peace is found, regardless of whether or not all the pieces of our life are together.

As soon as we raise our consciousness by filling it with more spiritual ideals, the fear, guilt and emptiness that keep us from truly enjoying life are no longer there. It is in the state of consciousness, the spiritual ideals from which we base our life, that our physical life is created. Being filled with joy--free from fear and worry--and tranquil in any circumstance of our life, this state of consciousness lifts all the circumstances of our life to a richer state. As long as we are continuously healing our inner nature, and ever growing toward our higher nature, we experience life more abundantly. True holistic health is no longer something we do, it is something we are. More accurately, it is no longer for our body but for ourselves as a whole being. The effort put forth in this kind of healing is nothing compared to its rewards, the return is a hundredfold. Even using just some of these principles, our health and our world are dramatically enriched.

Spiritual Awakening

Happiness is inborn in the true Self. Your search for happiness is an unconscious search for your true Self.

Often the prospect of inner work, of looking deeply into ourselves, scares us. We may be afraid of the demons we'll discover, or the changes we might have to make in our lives. Yet we can't create change if we're afraid of change. And the demons themselves are actually illusions, perpetuated by myth and belief, by our refusal to look. The experience of awakening is within reach of all of us. It begins to happen naturally as we learn to let go of our ego attachments, our concepts about "how" to live, and make the choice to be more present in our lives, more attuned to the subtle energy--the loving presence--that is behind creation. It helps if you can accept the view that the experience of spiritual well being is indeed your natural state, and that there is in fact nothing spiritually to "attain." Everything you seek is already inside you. You just need to reorient your thinking so that you can begin to trust, to accept the truth of this proposition. Once you stop striving for some ideal of spiritual perfection, there's an immense unburdening that begins to happen. The ego, in giving up its struggle for control, for some idealized state of lasting peace and security, finally grows quiet. Space opens up in the mind, and light--the illumination--begins to pour in.

True joy is not linked to outside circumstances; it flows directly from within you, from the self. The kingdom of God is within you. What you are looking for is what is looking. These are empowering words. When you read deeply into them, you begin to understand for yourself why the experience of spiritual awakening has been spoken of as the "ultimate cure" for human suffering. Once you've had this glimpse of reality, that you and the universe are indeed One, it starts to free you in many ways. You begin to realize that you're more than your body, mind, and emotions, more than your personality, more than the role you play in life. You begin to intuit that thr real you is bigger than any fear, problem, or conflict you may experience. You live more and more with the awareness that there's something authentic and beautiful within you, something timeless that is the ground both of your own Being and of creation itself. And that awareness guides you in your life. You live with greater clarity, certainty, and purpose. You realize, finally, why you are here, and what your work is. Regardless of how your awakening manifests, the feeling that accompanies it is always the same: it's one of increasing freedom and joy; a happiness that stands on its own. It truly is a "peace that passes all understanding." In yoga it's called satchitananda, a Sanskrit term which means, "the bliss that comes from the knowledge of one's true Being."

If you look back at your life, you may recall times when you've had this feeling, this sense of infinite well being--or at least had flashes of it. They're like little enlightenments. They usually come when things quiet down a bit, when you find yourself more present, more aware, more sensitive in the moment. Anything done contemplatively--that is, with heightened awareness--helps you get to this place where you're still inside. Thoughts and images drop away and something deeper, the truth of your inner Being, begins to emerge. Its a coming back Home to ourselves, to our true Selves. And what we discover is that my Self and your Self are not so different. At the heart of things, where it matters, we really are One. This awareness gives a sense of centeredness, of clarity and inner peace. You feel more on purpose, more directed and have a greater trust in your own knowing. You feel ready to take the next step; meet the next challenge in your life. When you become still and listen to the sacred silence, you find all your resistance melting, the chronic tension and anxiety within you dissolves, and you experience physical and emotional healing. You experience yourself deeply, or see something in an entirely different way, so that it opens up a new range of possibilities for you. Others get more in touch with their pain, their conflict. Those looking for guidance often find out what they need to do next, how best to create the breakthrough that will free them from whatever may be holding them back. The end result for anyone on this path is that you, to some degree or other, have a sense that you are fundamentally okay as you are. You realize that the healing you seek is not so much about acquiring anything new, as it is learning to discover the depth and fullness that's already within you.

You're a beautiful human being. There may be things you need to change, or want to change, outwardly in your life--with you health, your relationships, your work, your finances, or something else--but inside, in your essence, you are enough, just as you are. It's important to realize this, and to remind yourself of it often. The more you trust it, the more it'll become a reality for you. It's a matter of learning to be quiet and still, and beginning to look within yourself--rather than outside--for the love and fulfillment you seek. By doing this you'll awaken to your own innate wholeness. You'll feel this wholeness as a current of joy, of well being, flowing through every cell in your body. Whenever you stop and turn to it, it'll be there--not as the product of anything you think or do, but precisely because it's the substance, the very essence, of your being. Moreover, you'll realize that this energy is in everyone and in all things. It's the pulse--the divine spark--of creation itself. The more you touch this energy, the more you'll find all your deeper questions about life being answered. Your inner doubts and fears will start to fall away. What will be left is an increasing sense of ease and well being in body, mind, and spirit. Times of tension and disturbance will continue to arise in your experience, especially during those moments when you're caught in the ego's grip, in the mental and emotional contraction that's the hallmark of self-will. But even the periods of contraction will be like ripples on the surface of the water. Underneath, in the depths of your being, clarity and stillness will be more and more there. Even if there's a problem that won't go away--a health condition that seems beyond help, or other limiting circumstance--you won't worry about it as much. You'll understand that so long as you're alive, there'll always be problems, for such is the nature of human existence.

The more connected you are to the healing energy within you, the less of a "problem" such limitations become. You'll just deal with them in the most intelligent and appropriate way you can--and you'll be surprised at how perfectly everything will tend to turn out. You'll understand that you are not your body, and that who you really are doesn't die. Instead of being afraid of death, you'll develop a deep and growing trust in the natural unfolding of life. Dying will be seen as yet another step in this endless journey your soul is on. You'll learn to welcome uncertainty, to delight in the mystery, the wonder of existence. Just as it was when you were a child, each day will again feel like a new adventure to you. With this trust will come self-acceptance, and out of self-acceptance will flow a natural acceptance of others. You'll stop wasting your energy comparing yourself to others. You'll see the futility of judging them, of trying to "fix" or change them. You'll be happy instead with being yourself, with living your own truth. You'll realize that to express yourself in this way is the most valuable gift you can ever give anyone. Truly, it's the beginning of love--and only when there is love can real healing come about.

To find out these things for yourself is the goal of the healing journey. It's an incredibly rewarding journey and one you can only make on your own. The answers to your problems and conflicts lie within you. Others can point the way back to the light within you--can inspire you, share with you, support you through difficult times--but no one else can do your inner work for you. You awaken the healing energy within you through your determination to find it. It is, in the end, a choice you make. If you choose the path of consciousness and keep listening to your heart, keep bringing your attention back to the present; you'll come upon that energy. You'll discover that it's like a flame burning within you, a bright, steady flame that has always been there. At times you'll feel it as a clear, empty joy, and at others as a rich and full sense of being. It's the eternal "hum" of the universe, vibrating ceaselessly within and around you. The more you open to it, the more you'll feel it--healing you, renewing you, guiding you, sustaining you. This energy is the source of everything you've been looking for in your life. It really is the ultimate cure for whatever may be ailing you. It's the energy of your aliveness. It's the wellspring of your creativity. It's your passion; it's your joy. It's your ability to think, to dream, to laugh, to feel, and to cry. It's your spiritual essence. It's the love you've longed for all your life. It's who and what you most fundamentally are. The energy of spirit is real. It is always here. Be still, open your mind and heart, feel it. Allow its peace and beauty to shine through you in your meetings with others. This is how to always have it yourself.

Daily Spirituality

There is a sacred thread that runs through all life, from the most lofty thought, word, or deed to the most humble daily chore. Everything with which we surround ourselves in our daily lives carries the potential for being made sacred. It is all in our attitude--toward ourselves, our lives, and the stuff of everyday. To experience daily spirituality is the goal of the sacred life. Every area of life has the potential for revealing it's sacred dimension. Everything we touch or encounter is made of sacred stuff. Wherever we set foot can be sacred ground. The signals that confirm or point to the presence of Spirit are all around us. We need only become aware of what is hiding just beneath the surface of everyday life to realize that it is imbued with meaning, that it represents the sacred dimension.

God and the universe are one and the same thing. We are all cells in the body of the divine energy out of which the entire universe is constantly being created, with us as participants in the divine work. Some use the term "co-creators," which indicates that we have more control and make a greater contribution to the totality of life than has previously been supposed. This is called panentheism, a term meaning "everything in God, and God in everything," what is emphasized is immanence, or God within the world, as opposed to the idea of transcendence, which stresses the idea of a God above and separate from the world. A corollary of panenthesim is the belief that all of creation--from the tiniest microbe to the furthest galaxy--is interconnected. We live in an "intelligent universe" that is constantly in communication with all of its parts. The universe is like a cosmic Innernet into which we are all connected, just by being. We don't need computers or a modem; we don't use software or a mouse.

To live a sacred adventure every day, we need only learn to read the signs and pointers everywhere about us. If we do not teach ourselves to recognize them and read them, we become spiritual illiterates. We miss knowing about our interconnectedness. We cannot get on the worldwide web of Spirit. Just as the functional illiterate has to engage in all sorts of evasions and subterfuge to cover up the inability to read, we find ourselves constantly trying to cover up or compensate for the spiritual void we feel in our lives. We know instinctively that there is "something more," but look though we may, we can't find it. When we learn to read, we discover that the whole world is charged with sacred meaning. Our inner spirituality is reflected throughout ordinary, everyday experiences.

Signs are everywhere. To read them we have only to discern patterns. Synchronicity is the term for the principle that connects seemingly unrelated events, actions, and objects. So much of life is seeking and hoping to find, but how often it seems we find what we do not seek consciously. Symbols in and of themselves have no meaning. They point beyond themselves to meaning and significance. Symbols have always been essential for humans to relate to their gods and their environments. The earliest hunter cultures drew symbolic representations of the animals they killed for food, while plant-oriented cultures depicted the vegetation upon which they depended for sustenance and which they revered as symbolic of the ever-turning cycle of life. Throughout history, symbols have been a menas by which humans could harness the mysterious powers of the unseen world. Symbols give meaning to the awesome mystery of the powers of the universe, before which we stand helpless. They allow us to project our intention and through intention we discover the meaning and significance.

Too often, we look but do not see--we are too busy, too preoccupied with our worries and our personal concerns to pay attention to the world around us with its multiplicity of wondrous forms, from the clouds passing overhead, to the animal passing by. All forms of life--human, and animal, plant and insect, the flowing waters of rivers and streams, clouds and trees--are but transient patterns of moving energy. This understanding can be traced to primordial times. It permeates native and indigenous cultures everywhere. That we live in a river of ever-changing energy is one of the most basic concepts underlying the practice of shamanism. This spiritual and intuitive knowledge is now being confirmed by quantum physics. Underneath the visible forms of matter there are natural forces that possess both intelligence and purpose, as leading-edge scientists and biologists now assert. This is precisely what the magicians of earlier times believed and what shamans have always known.

The physical senses--sight, touch, vison, smell, and taste--might be regarded as the gross senses, while the inner ways of comprehending reality are governed by our subtle senses of perception. There can be no doubt that primitive peoples, who were attuned to Spirit everywhere, were guided by such senses. They possessed powers that enabled them to locate favorable hunting grounds, and allowed telepathic communications. Magic was not only used for religous purposes, it was an early form of science. Everything, animate and inanimate alike, has consciousness at some level. The consciousness of animals may be somewhat similar to ours, but the consciousness of a tree or a rock is, though different, no less valid. The chances are that we can never really grasp this intellectually. We must feel our way into experiencing this reality, through our emotions and our intuition. We all somewhere know that we are connected to the whole and participate in it, else we would not be striving for an antidote to our sense of separation and loneliness. We have forgotten the original Oneness. In our mad race for technological superiority, we have lost track of the universe as a unity, and of our beautiful planet as a living, pulsating Being. We must reconnect with the knowledge of the interrelatedness of all life and all things on our planet, affirming that nothing exists in isolation. The whole universe is living Spirit and everyone and everything pulses with this creative energy. Everything is relative to everything else.

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