40 Days and 40 Nights

Often, at the most auspicious moment of spiritual insight, the strongest doubts appear. It is said that just after the baptism of Christ, he was led into the wilderness. The spirit of God led him into the wilderness to meet who? Mr Psychological Mind, the highest personification of ego, the tempter — Satan himself.

The voice of God says, 'This is my son in whom I am well pleased,' and the next moment he is in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. Alone.  Here to withstand the temptations of the deceitful one. A passage he must go through before his ministry can begin. He is not with friends. No, this is not a social moment.

Rather, he will become tired, lonely and hungry. Christ was compelled to invite or induce a state of weakness upon himself — a mental, emotional and physical weakness. He was preparing himself to meet the devil, for he had to overcome Satan's powerful deceptions while in his own weakest state. The Tempter would not be able to challenge him in his strength. In man's weakest moment does he stand the chance to find his greatest strength.

Is such strength from man or from God?

Everyone has to go through his own version of '40 days and 40 nights' in the wilderness of personal identity. This 'walk through the valley of the shadows of death and temptations' he must pass through at some time or another and in some place or another. We are not different from Christ, except that most have not recognised their true Self and continue to believe they are merely their body-mind identity.

Know that the core of your Self is ever one with the Supreme Being.

~ Mooji ~

Source: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/moojiji/photos/a.10151128541553962.450312.218249113961/10153373863583962/?type=3&theater

Stages of Consciousness

There are not three stages of life -- the material, the mental and the spiritual. The material and the mental are one, although they constitute two degrees of the same one. Remember, the material and the mental are one. In this stage thoughts are things; beliefs produce conditions.

Ordinarily in metaphysical teaching, the mental and the spiritual are considered one; and therefore, you may have heard or read the term, "mentally spiritual." Be careful of it because it is dangerous to your progress. There is no such thing as mentally spiritual because the mental and the physical are two strata or stages of the one; the physical is the more gross; the mental is the higher form, but it is still just a higher form of the material. The proof of this may be seen in such statements as "thoughts are things" and "as a man thinketh so is he," meaning, if he thinks good her will manifest good, and if he thinks evil he will manifest evil. Thinking which produces things and thinking which can produce either good or evil cannot be spiritual.

Notice that nowhere does it say that thinking will produce spirituality. On the contrary, we are told by the greatest spiritual Light, "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature?" And from Isaiah, "For my thoughts cannot be your thoughts." In other words, human thinking is not spiritual.

Until you realize that the physical and mental realm are one and that one the mortal and material, you will be looking for your good in the wrong place. "Not by might (physical) nor by power (mental) but by my spirit saith the Lord." You are not consciously in the spiritual realm or Kingdom of God, harmony, until you rise above things and thoughts. If you feel this is difficult you can understand one reason why so few have attained it. Another reason is false teaching. Men have become satisfied when they reached the mental realm, thinking they were in heaven or state of harmony -- only to find sooner or later they were leaning on a reed. A day comes when they need a right thought, and it doesn't come, or it doesn't work.

I pray God that you realize you are listening to the deepest wisdom of the ages -- the truth about Heaven, harmony. I can reveal this to you and with patience on the part of you and me, I can assist you in its realization -- but you have to accept, to see, to understand and finally to realize and demonstrate this truth of Truth.

While you are delving around in thoughts -- even in good thoughts -- you are merely in a higher state of materiality where there are the same opposites: good and evil, health and sickness, life and death, poverty and wealth, discord and harmony. In the spiritual Kingdom there is only infinite, eternal perfection of Life eternal and immortal.

In the physical realm, a fall produces a bruise or break; in the mental there is a belief of accident producing a belief of bruise or break. In the physical, age produces loss of faculties, of teeth, of vitality; in the mental the belief of age produces these same physical discords.

In spiritual consciousness none of these mental beliefs are found nor any of their physical outpicturing. The spiritual realm has neither beliefs nor conditions -- just the eternal grace of divine Being.

Probably when you first studied Truth, you found it a difficult thing to rise above the physical to the mental; no doubt you struggled with yourself to learn that physical effects had mental causes. Now you have achieved it -- and I tell you that you have merely attained a higher state of materiality. I tell you that the physicals and the mental are two stages of one and that one mortal and material. Now you must rise above things and thoughts.

What difference does it make whether it is because of a belief that green apples cause cramps -- or just because of green apples themselves. You still have cramps to eliminate from thought and green apples to eliminate from the body. At this point you will ask what to do or think in case the green apples produce cramps. The moment you leave the realm of things and thoughts, they will have no effect -- or probably you won't eat them. For the moment, realize that neither the apples nor the belief about them is power, because of the First Commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," and you know this Me is Spirit; therefore, the only Power is the one Power and I AM that one. What power has either the apple or the belief since I AM the law -- the only law unto both apples and beliefs? Do you remember that you were given dominion over the things 0f the earth and the thoughts of the above, or mental realm? You are the law, and neither things nor thoughts can govern, control or affect you.

Remember that stating this Truth is not power -- is not the healer; this Truth itself, unstated, is the Power and Presence. This Truth would be the only factor in your existence now but for the acceptance of duality -- a selfhood apart from God.

What is the spiritual Kingdom or consciousness like, since you have never tasted or touched it in the realm of things or thoughts? That is our next step of realization and you will attain it in proportion to your ability to release yourself from "taking thought."

One thing is certain: spiritual consciousness is not going to patch up your outworn human experience; it is not going to doctor your ills or add dollars to your income (though it may appear to do just those very things): No -- spiritual consciousness will manifest itself in a completely new, vital, spiritual, eternal existence and only the world of humans will see it as improved humanhood. You will see it as it really is -- omnipresence.

~ Joel Goldsmith / Spiritual Interpretation of Scripture ~

Inspiration from Mooji

Sometimes I meet beings who say they have realised the Self.

They believe or claim that they know and understand the Truth.

They say they sense it, feel it and are convinced it is what they are and so on. However, it is often sensed here that the mind takes delivery for this understanding and purchases further life as the egoic ‘achiever’ of ultimate Truth. Consequently, the realisation does not get baptised in the Heart and a real chance of freedom gradually fades away.

Therefore, such beings can retain their sense of personhood, unknowingly. Some even edit my words to fit in with their personal inclinations, projections and spiritual fantasies, but I want to burn all of this to the ground in order that they attain true freedom.

What we speak about here is authentic transcendence, you see?

One has to overcome the hypnosis of personal conditioning.

They have to be free from the psychological influence of the mind.

I don’t mean that you should ‘stop’ your mind but rather, focus on the witness of mind. Therefore, it has to be an authentic transcendence, not a Hollywood awakening.

Sometimes I say I don’t want or feel for your company.

You indulge too much mental and psychological noise.

There are too many relationships going on inside your mind.

Your representations of yourself mentally, emotionally, psychically are not authentic expressions of the Self. Such a localised identity is not enough at this level of understanding, insight or, we could say, Self-knowledge.

So what has to happen?

You have to be That.

How are you going to be That?

The ‘you’ who you take yourself to be cannot be That.

Being That is not a verb, an action you will take.

It is an awakening, a recognition so profound that it changes your mind’s orientation immediately and irreversibly.

As real understanding takes over, it will be a life changing experience.

It is as though I am telling you to do something ‘you’, as ego, cannot do.

Your mind cannot do it, but it is required of you to, acknowledge and be That which you are.

You have to be open to expose what is not in service to your true nature.

It is the highest aspect of my work, guidance or teaching and it is more like an energetic correspondence, not only a verbal one.

Let the untrue be exposed and thoroughly burned.

Sometimes the way into that completeness, that recognition, is that whatever is untrue is rejected as it is recognised as false, either by you or by me.

And you may be thinking, ‘Oh my god, I really thought I was getting somewhere! This is so discouraging’… and so your world feels like it is turned upside down.

Do not be disheartened, instead keep an attitude of gratitude.

It is your good fortune that your ‘world’ is being crushed.

I myself don’t have a world. Let yours be upside down so that what is true in you can reveal itself and begin unfolding in its authentic expression as true life and being.

Grace is helping you in every way. Trust it.

Say, “Yes, I am here, remove this sense of separation, this arrogance of separateness and merge me in you, oh God, oh Universe Being, Self, Truth, Life. Don’t give me any technique.

Absorb me. Replace me with You.”

And finally: Trust your master.

~ Mooji ~

Source https://www.facebook.com/moojiji?fref=photo / http://www.mooji.org/  

I enjoy delving into the many paths to God that are available to us. "A Course In Miracles" is one of them.

This audio book, "A Return to Love"  by Marianne Williamson, is highly recommended.  All  spiritual teachings are very inspirational to me.  I love the experience of making them my own.  I enjoy reading and listening to various interpretations, but at the end of the day I put them aside and allow them to speak to me personally.  I hope this does the same for you, dear Listener.

 

The Book of Yeshua

Chapter 24

Why are we unhappy? – Parable: The Unkept Field – Awaken your self by your self – The burden of unceasing want – There is no fire which burns like passion – A weigher of weighty matters – The good man: what he is like – Putting away your anger – “Live you happily then” – On personal discipline – A sin greater than sin – On fears and superstitions

1  These are the words which Yeshua spoke upon the way, while yet he rested by the waters of the sea; and there spoke unto him a disciple, saying:

2  “Tell us, Lord, by what means we shall remove from us the things which wound and make heavy the heart of man; for in this life are we ever weighed down with many sorrows.

3  Behold, O Lord, how the children of men are made to suffer, being oppressed by a multitude of care.”

4  And the Master taught them, saying: “If you would that you should not dwell in the house of sorrow, then give heed and be wise.

5  For there was a certain man which had a field which brought forth neither profit nor beauty, for he tilled and dressed it not, neither would he plant any good thing therein.

6  And there sprung up all manner of noxious weeds, and there came and dwelt in the wild grasses of the field, all manner of serpents and scorpions.

7  Thus it was that unto whatsoever person who should happen upon the field, even they would find to the eye no pleasant thing to see or to taste;

8  But unto them would come forth all manner of deadly things which would imperil the soul of man.

9  In like manner shall you become even as this field, if you take no care to till and dress the soul wherein you should plant all manner of goodly things, both to see and to taste.

10  Beware, therefore, of weeds which creep in unawares, for even as weeds will make of no value the field without;

11  Even so shall hate and envy, fear and folly make of no worth the soul within, being filled with impurities of every kind.

12  For you are all become as a withered leaf which even the wind would carry unto death.

13  Behold, then how you shake and tremble all about because of some adversity, for you have made for the soul no refuge within, neither have you taken to yourself any provision. 

14  For you delight always in the things of this world, ever moving between that which is good and that which is less.

15  If then you would set free the soul from sorrow and secure for yourself the happiness of life, then awaken yourself by your Self, examine yourself by your Self.

16  Thus guarded by your self and ever attentive, you will dwell in the house of happiness.

17  For the self is lord of the self always, and the self is the refuge of the self; therefore, tame yourself even as the charioteer would tame for the race a fine horse.

18  For consider by what strange powers you are driven about; for men which are driven by a multitude of wanting are become as the hunted hare.

19  Being chased about on every side, they suffer continually without relief, going always from one want to another, seeking therein some refuge.

20  Who then bears the greater burden, he which is slave only to some other, or he that is rich and filled with wanting?

21  For the slave, when he dies, is set at liberty again. But he which is ever grasping for things of which he has no need, wherein shall he be free?

22  Seeing that in death he is fettered still, being filled again and again with wanting.

23  Whosoever shall lay aside the burden of wanting, from him shall sorrow fall quickly away; and the end of all his days shall be as peace and happiness.

24  For the undoing of all want conquers a multitude of sorrow; for want is the child of envy, filling the soul with all manner of corruption and impurity.

25  Whosoever, therefore, would secure happiness by inflicting suffering upon some other, unto them shall no happiness be given, but misery upon misery only.

26  For such as these are wrapped round about with bitter gall, being bound securely by all manner of hate and envy, ever fearful and filled with folly.

27  For greediness is the worst of diseases; and unrestraint leads to the greatest of sorrows; for out of desire and want are come all manner of grief and fear.

28  Therefore, if you would be happy still, beware of envy, beware of want; for if you envy not, wherein shall you grieve; if you want not, of what shall you be afraid?

29  For he in whom envy is destroyed, being plucked out by the very root, he it is who, day by day, increaseth happiness. 

30  For there is no fire which burns like passion, no capturer of the self like hatred, no snare to the soul like delusion, and no torrent like unceasing want, carrying away upon the flood all tranquility.

31  Be you, therefore, as a refiner of fine silver, removing by the fire all impurities within, one by one, here a little there a little, and from time to time purifying always the soul within.

32  Be you also like unto a weigher of weighty matters, both prudent and wise; who, holding as it were the scales of good and evil, takes only what is good.

33  For whosoever kills another, who speaks falsehood continually, who takes from another what is not his own, who gives himself wantonly to passion, even this one is destroyed already, having dug himself up by the roots altogether.

34  But where unto shall we find the goodly man, who, having subdued the self within, is made all happy without?

35  In him has virtue and joy embraced together, being established forever in the bosom of the Father which comes from above;

36  For all his ways are founded in goodness, tending always the affairs of his own soul; this then is the one whom God holds dear.

37  For in him is the mystery revealed, who, being rooted in the richness of his own soul, is free of envy and want, fear and hate;

38  This is he who, ascending the stream and the flood, returneth unto God to dwell above the earth.

39  And when he is returned, behold, how the Heavens shout together and leap for joy at his coming; for that which was lost is found again, and that which was gone far away is returned.

40  Therefore, if you would be happy, seek not the company of fools; neither go you into the way of those which are ever grasping, but who are never able to lay hold.

41  Let each man put away his anger, let him renounce a multitude of wanting. For they which are free of envy and strife shall become happy altogether.

42  Give heed, therefore, and be you wise; that you may know of a surety that all anger is overcome by gentleness only, that all evil is overcome by goodness, that miserliness is overcome by liberality, and that falsehood is overcome by the truth.

43  For one should speak rightly always and not yield to anger, even if you be asked for a little. By these means shall you enter into happiness, being made one with God who is your Father.

44  Live you happily then, hating no one; that you may dwell free of hate even among those which hate.

45  Live you happily then, being free of such diseases as afflict others; for health is the greatest of gifts, contentment is the greatest wealth, and trust in God the surest deliverance. 

46  Live you happily then, being free from care in the midst of those which are overburdened with care already; be you free of want among those which are filled with much wanting.

47  Live you happily then, even though you possess but little. Dwell richly always, feeding upon such happiness as God shall give; for, behold, he cares for you.

48  Give not yourself to reviling, neither injure others beside; but be you disciplined in all things pertaining to both body and spirit;

49  Eating moderately and not given to drunkenness; dwelling oft in some solitary place that you may offer unto God the prayers and meditations of the heart;

50  Turning always the mind unto some higher thought that you may become as noble and purified within; being ever awakened by the light which comes from above.

51  For there are many which slumber in the light, and when they are awakened, behold, it is all dark within, and fear creepeth in all about.

52  For I tell you truly that there is a sin greater than sin, a darkness greater than darkness, and an impurity greater than impurity.

53  Know, therefore, that ignorance is greater than all these things, making dull and dim witted the soul within.

54  Unto such as these arise all manner of vain thoughts and superstitions, filling the hearts of men with despair and fear continually.

55  For such men, ever fleeing and seeking refuge will run in haste to mountain and forest, to sacred groves and to temple shrines;

56  Yet when they are arrived, behold, fear greeteth them at the very door, and darkness descends all about to make sleep again.

57  Beware of others who would but distract, but turn your soul unto prayer and meditation, for therein alone shall God reveal the hidden portion which makes rich the happy life.

58  And seek not the welfare of the body only, for it is the soul within that leads to happiness.”

59  These then are the words which Yeshua taught by the sea. And rising from his place he journeyed unto Sidon.

~ Source: Song of God / The Book of Yeshua / Chapter 24 ~

http://www.thesongofgod.com/scriptures/yesh/24.html

Understanding the Urge to Die

I spent the first 23 years of my life wanting to die. And here is what I discovered:

The urge to die is the urge to live in disguise.

The urge to die is the urge to disappear as a separate self, to vanish into the vastness of Being, to rest deeply, as we have never rested before. It is the wave longing to return to the ocean... forgetting that it was never divided from the ocean in the first place. An innocent mistake, easily corrected with a little investigation.

The urge to die is not negative, sick, dark or sinful, but it is deeply, deeply misunderstood, that's for sure! We ignore the urge, push it away, hide it, medicate it, keep it a secret, try to numb ourselves to it or even philosophize it away. But when acknowledged, honoured, listened to, even the suicidal urge, the urge to shed our false skin, contains infinite intelligence. All feelings do!

For secretly, the urge to die is the urge to awaken, to come alive, to stop identifying as a separate body-mind, to remember our original nature, vast and free! It is the urge to shed the false 'me' (ego, self, person) to stop pretending to be something we are not, to let go of all that is second-hand and inauthentic, and to live, to really live, fearless and free, as consciousness itself, full of life and potential and cosmic creativity!

The urge to die is not our enemy - it is not to be annihilated and not to be feared. It contains a profound message of awakening and change. It says, shouts, screams, "You are not limited to what you think you are! You are a child of the Universe, remember, deserving of all its riches! Only the false can die, and you cannot be false!" Can we hear its call? Can we listen, really listen?

The wave cannot return to the ocean, cannot get Home. It was never divided from its Home in the first place! You are already Oceanic, friend, and the true suicide is not the stopping of the body-mind but the remembrance of your original and unblemished nature, here and now, beyond the ravages of time!

LIVE! LIVE! LIVE! NOTHING TO LOSE!

~ Jeff Foster ~

How You Treat Others

  

Spiritual people often want unconditional support and understanding from their friends, family, and mates, but all too often seem blind to their own shortcomings when it comes to the amount of unconditional support and understanding that they give to others. I have seen many spiritual people become obsessed with how unspiritual others are and assume an arrogant and superior attitude while completely missing the fact that they themselves are not nearly as spiritually enlightened as they would like to think they are.

Enlightenment can be measured by how compassionately and wisely you interact with others—with all others, not just those who support you in the way that you want. How you interact with those who do not support you shows how enlightened you really are.

As long as you perceive that anyone is holding you back, you have not taken full responsibility for your own liberation. Liberation means that you stand free of making demands on others and life to make you happy. When you discover yourself to be nothing but Freedom, you stop setting up conditions and requirements that need to be satisfied in order for you to be happy.

It is in the absolute surrender of all conditions and requirements that Liberation is discovered to be who and what you are. Then the love and wisdom that flows out of you has a liberating effect on others. The biggest challenge for most spiritual seekers is to surrender their self importance, and see the emptiness of their own personal story. It is your personal story that you need to awaken from in order to be free.

To give up being either ignorant or enlightened is the mark of liberation and allows you to treat others as your Self. What I am describing is the birth of true Love.

~ Adyashanti ~

© 1998 by Adyashanti. All rights reserved.