As you progress along the spiritual path, you begin to see that you are sufficient unto yourself and are answerable only to yourself.  The question becomes simple: Am I fulfilling my greatest capacity to God, to myself, to my fellow man, and to those I love? Your obligation to divinity is to be all that you can be to yourself, to God and to everyone.  In this way, you are fulfilling your promise.  Therefore, what could approval do for you? Approval doesn’t do anything  but build up your ego.  If you’re lacking nothing, that approval is unnecessary.  If you’ve done the best you can, you don’t need other people’s approval.

…What is the purpose of human life then? It facilitates the evolution of consciousness to the realization of our ultimate reality.  It’s a part of the pathway to enlightenment.

New! – In the World but Not of It, ch. 2, pg. 24-25

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One benefit from a life crisis is greater self-awareness. The situation is overwhelming, and we are forced to stop all of our diversionary games, take a good look at our life situation, and re-evaluate our beliefs, goals, values, and life direction. It is an opportunity to re-evaluate and let go of guilt. It is also an opportunity for a total shift in attitude. Life crises, as we pass through them, confront us with polar opposites. Shall we hate or forgive that person? Shall we learn from this experience and grow, or resent it and become bitter? Do we choose to overlook the other person’s shortcomings and our own, or instead do we resent and mentally attack them? Shall we withdraw from a similar situation in the future with greater fear, or shall we transcend this crisis and master it once and for all? Do we choose hope or discouragement? Can we use the experience as an opportunity to learn how to share, or shall we withdraw into a shell of fear and bitterness? Every emotional experience is an opportunity to go up or down. Which do we choose? That is the confrontation.

We have the opportunity to choose whether we want to hang on or let go of emotional upsets. We can look at the cost of hanging on to them. Do we want to pay the price? Are we willing to accept the feelings? We can look at the benefits of letting go of them. The choice we make will determine our future. What kind of a future do we want? Will we choose to be healed, or will we become one of the walking wounded?

In making this choice, it is well to look at the payoff we get from hanging on to the residuals of a painful experience. What are the satisfactions we are getting? How little are we willing to settle for? Anger. Hatred. Self-pity. Resentments. They all have their cheap little payoff, that little inner satisfaction. Let’s not pretend that it’s not there. There is a weird, quirky pleasure when we hang on to pain. It certainly satisfies our unconscious need for the alleviation of guilt through punishment. We get to feel miserable and rotten. The question then arises, “But for how long?”

…The part of us that wants to cling to negative emotions is our smallness. It is the part of us that is mean, petty, selfish, competitive, cheap, conniving, mistrusting, vindictive, judgmental, diminished, weak, guilty, ashamed, and vain. It has little energy; it is depleting, demeaning, and leads to the lowering of self-respect. It is the small part of us that accounts for our own self-hatred, unending guilt, and seeking for punishment, sickness, and disease. Is that the part with which we want to identify? Is that the part we want to energize? Is that the way we want to see ourselves? Because if that’s the way we see ourselves, that’s the way others will see us.

The world can only see us as we see ourselves. Are we willing to pay those consequences? If we see ourselves as cheap and petty, it’s unlikely that we’ll be at the top of the company list for a raise.

The price of holding on to smallness can be demonstrated with muscle testing. The procedure is fairly simple (Hawkins, [1995], 2012). Hold in mind a mean, petty thought and have someone press down on your arm while you resist; notice the effect. Now choose the exact opposite view. Picture yourself as being generous, forgiving, loving, and experiencing your inner greatness. Instantly, there will be an enormous increase in muscle strength indicating a surge of positive bio-energy.

Smallness brings weakness, sickness, disease, and death. Do you really want that? Letting go of negative feelings can be accompanied by another very healthy maneuver which will greatly assist your inner transformation, and that is to stop resisting the positive emotions.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 3, pg. 44-47

When a person uses the mechanism of surrender and lets go of a negative feeling, the muscle testing (method) we have described will change from weak to strong.   As negative thoughts or belief systems are surrendered, they no longer have the power to deplete our energy.

We are subject only to what we hold in mind. The body will respond to what we believe.  If we believe that a certain substance is bad for us, then it will usually test weak with muscle testing.  The same substance will make another person who believes that it is good for them strong.  What is stressful to us, therefore, is primarily subjective.  Muscle testing is responsible to unconscious belief systems as well as conscious ones.  Testing often reveals that a person unconsciously feels or believes the opposite of what they think they consciously believe they want to heal but unconsciously be attached to the payoffs of illness.  A simple muscle test reveals the truth of the matter.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 14, pg. 207-208

Because of that which you have become, the Kundalini energy flows automatically based on the level of consciousness, through the appropriate chakra system, the acupuncture system, and it alters the brain physiology as a consequence of that which it is.  Remember that from 200 and up, brain physiology shifts the left brain to the right brain.  And the whole sequence of processing is completely different.  This is natural.  It’s a consequence of that which you have become.  If you turn your life into devotion to become that, and you be that, as a matter of being that, then when you can see the beauty and divinity of all that exists and the sacredness of all of life, et cetera, you see the divinity that shines forth through all of creation.

The Wisdom of Dr. David R. Hawkins, Ch. 6, pg. 109

The basic dictum to comprehend is that the body obeys the mind; the body tends to manifest what the mind believes.  The belief may be held consciously or unconsciously.   This dictum follows from the law of consciousness that states: We are only subject to what we hold in mind. The only power that anything has over us is the power of belief that we give it.  By “power,” we mean energy and the will to believe.

If we look at the Map of Consciousness, it’s easy to see why the mind is more powerful than the body.  The energy field of reason (calibrates at 400), with its beliefs and concepts of the mind, is more powerful than the physical body (calibrates at 200).  Thus, the body will express the beliefs held in mind, consciously or unconsciously.

Our proneness to accept negative beliefs depends on how much negativity we are holding in the first place.  A positive mind, for example, will refuse to accept negative thoughts and simply reject them as untrue for oneself.  There is a refusal to buy into commonly held negative ideas.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 15, pg. 212-213

The relinquishing of judgmentalism greatly increases the capacity of Love, as does surrendering the wanting of anything from others.  Thus, people are not perceived according to what they have or do but by appreciation for what they are and have become.

Love is self-fulfilling and thus does not seek gain or to compensate for lack.  Because it does not need to ‘get’, it is therefore free to peacefully ‘be with’ and appreciate.  To Love, the world is more benign and its people appear more friendly and available.  There is an increased feeling of safety and identification with mankind in general and concern for the welfare and happiness of others.  The energy field is accompanied by a radiant aura that intrinsically has an effect on others who themselves then tend to become more benign as do their perceptions.  This energy field has an influence on all life, which intuits the safety of Love through the field effect. Characteristic of this level are an unmistakable ‘sweetness’ of personality, speech, attitudes, and lifestyle that is inwardly nurturing.

Transcending the Levels of Consciousness, Ch. 14, pgs. 250-251

We start with the certainty, knowing. Just know that if you’re spiritually oriented, you will make progress.  Start therefore, with a feeling of security.  Instead of insecurity or self-doubt, know that anybody who wants to evolve spiritually will receive the necessary assistance.  Success is guaranteed.  Get rid of self-doubt, any idea that you’re not worth it, or that you’re not capable of it, or that it’s not the right time in your life. It’s always the right time in your life.  Accept without reservation that you are worthy of the quest.  Be resolved to totally surrender to the truth about God. Surrender to the truth about God, and trust that your spiritual evolution is aligned with God’s will for you. So, always start with a feeling of security instead of self-doubt.  The living proof of God’s love and will for you is the gift of your own existence.  The fact that you are, is the best evidence there is of God’s love and will for you.

The Wisdom of Dr. David R. Hawkins, Bonus Material, pg. 195

Everything we do and say, every movement we make, is energized by the lovingness that we have owned within ourselves.  Whether speaking to a large audience or petting the dog, the energy of love is felt to be pouring out.  We want to share what we hold in the heart as an experiential knowingness, and we hold it in the heart for everyone and everything, that they would be feeling it, too.  We pray for that inner experience of infinite love for everyone around us, including the animals.  Our life is a blessing to everything around us.  We acknowledge to others and to our animals the gift that they are to us.

Daily Reflections from Dr. David R. Hawkins, pg. 26

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What do you recommend?

Divert your attention to that which is really essential, experientially.  Some days it rains; some days it’s sunny; some days it’s cloudy.  You can’t change the rain, but you can put on your raincoat.  You can be realistic and take the necessary steps to remain dry.  There are many aspects of life you can’t change, but you can let go of your expectation or need that they be different from what they are.  With observation, for instance, you will notice that there is always a war going on somewhere in the world.  So to be peaceful, it is necessary to accept that waging war is part of human nature and has been throughout all of recorded time.  Mankind has been at war 97% of the time.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 21, pg. 330-331

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Devotion is like an inner valor or fortitude that incorporates courage, willingness, and conviction, together with the knowledge of essential information.  It develops wisdom, patience, and forbearance with experience.  Because of focus, it also develops skill and aptitude for processing the levels of consciousness as they are encountered.  Devotion learns to expect periods of delay or discouragement as well as moments of doubt or fear.  By virtue of devotion, there is alignment with inner integrity that results in the self-honesty and conviction necessary to transcend the seduction of transitory emotional payoffs of the intransigent ego.

The desire to reach Enlightenment is already a Divine gift to be treasured and revered.  “Many are called but few are chosen” could be rephrased as “Many are called but few choose to follow.” Thus, the choice is by decision and assent of the inner will, and by this assent, the enormous power of Divine Will aligns with intention and empowers devotion to overcome all obstacles.

Discovery of the Presence of God, Ch. 1, pg. 45-46

On the level of acceptance, because of the major change in the way we perceive others, we now become aware of the inner innocence behind the frantic, fear-driven struggles that have obscured it in ourselves and in our neighbors, friends, and family.  The great teachers have said that the negativity which we see in a person or in society is really due to blindness, ignorance, and unconsciousness.  This inner innocence, once it is perceived in others, is also perceived in ourselves.  All that we did was done because we just didn’t know better at the time.  If we had known a better way at the time, we would have done it that way.  “It seemed like a good idea at the time,” we say.  We see that same blindness operating in others, and we can look past their character defects and see the innocent child within.

Once we see our innocence, there is an identification with others and a loss of feeling alone and stressed.  We are able to see innocence even behind the most rash and apparently horrible behaviors.  We look inside a person and see the frightened animal that just doesn’t know any better. …

In the state of acceptance, it is possible to forgive our own past, as well as that of others, and to heal past resentments.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 11, pg.167-68

A paradigm is a whole worldview, and it is only limited by what we view as possible.  As old ways of looking at things are challenged, our worldview begins to stretch and expand.  That which was previously considered to be impossible becomes possible and eventually is experienced as a new dimension of reality.  There is the capacity to look within ourselves to examine our belief systems, ask questions, and seek new solutions.  On the level of courage, we are willing to take self-improvement courses, learn consciousness techniques, and risk the journey within to seek our own true Self, the inner reality.  There is a willingness to experience uncertainty, periods of confusion, and temporary upset because underneath the temporary discomfort, we have a long-term transcendent goal.  The mind that is operating on the level of courage makes such statements as “I can handle it”; “We’ll make it”; The job will get done”; We can see this through”; “All things shall pass.”

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 10, pg. 157-158

With observation, it is quite clear that negative feelings reverberate and boomerang back to us, and profoundly affect our relationships. The other person merely mirrors back what we are projecting onto them. When inner feelings are relinquished, the way in which we see the situation changes, and we are often surprised by the abruptness with which feelings of forgiveness suddenly arise and the relationship becomes transformed, even though on the external level we did or said nothing to express this inner change.

Try this exercise now, by bringing to mind a person in your life that you have an unkind attitude toward.  Write down the negative feelings you have toward this person.  Since this is your journal, honestly express everything you feel in this moment about this person and why.

When you feel that all the negative feelings have been written down and released, at least on paper, look within yourself and see if you sense any higher feelings, perhaps calm, peace, forgiveness, a sense of being okay, or acceptance.

…Note if anything changes in your relationship with this person, now that you have let go of your negative feelings toward them.

The Letting Go Guided Journal: Pgs. 108-109.

Q. If there is no reality such as time or here or now, nor a real ‘me’ to become enlightened, how can it be possible?

A: If it were a phenomenon that had to occur at a certain time or place, then indeed it would not be a possibility.  The only explanation is that the state or condition termed enlightenment already is a reality and therefore needs only to be allowed to be a realized in order to prevail.  What already “is” requires no future.  Acceptance is an ever-present option.  Complete surrender to God unveils the Truth.  Nothing is hidden; only the ego is blind.  Reality lies just beyond the mind.  Out of the fear of becoming nothing, consciousness denies its only reality that it is everything — the infinite, everlasting Allness out of which existence itself arises.

Truth prevails when falsity is surrendered.  To do this, however, requires great dedication, courage, and faith, which are supplied by divine inspiration in response to surrender.  The trigger is the consent of the Will.

The Eye of the “I”: From Which Nothing Hidden: Ch. 19, pg. 289-290

Everyone is actually doing the best they can with what they have at the moment.  All of life is evolving toward its perfection.

It is possible to forgive our own past, as well as that of others, and to heal past resentments.  When we see the innocence in everyone, we can truly fulfill “loving our neighbor as ourselves.”

It is also possible to see the hidden gift in past events about which we have been resentful – including their possible karmic significance.  From the level of acceptance, it is possible to create a different context from which to view the past and thereby heal it.

1. 1. Write about a past event or behavior that you haven’t forgiven yourself for:

2.  Can you see your innocence and that you were just doing the best you    could with what your understanding was at the time? Can you apply this to others as well?

The Letting Go Guided Journal: How to Remove Your Inner Blocks to Happiness, Love and Success, Pg. 74-75

The goal of letting go is the elimination of the very source of all suffering and pain. 

The replacement of a negative feeling by a higher one accounts for the many miracles we can experience in the course of life.  These become more frequent as we continue to let go.  As we surrender, life becomes more and more effortless.  There is a constant increase in happiness and pleasure, which requires less and less from the outer world to be experienced.  There is a diminution of needs and expectations of others.  We stop looking “out there” for what we now experience as coming from within ourselves. We let go of the illusion that others are the source of our happiness.  Instead of looking to get from others, we now look to give…

Ultimately, all negative feelings stem from the same source.  When enough negative feelings have been relinquished, that source reveals itself.  When that source itself is let go of and disidentified with, the ego dissolves.  The source of suffering, therefore, loses the very basis of its power.

The Letting Go Guided Journal pg. 94-95

One surprising observation about the mechanism of letting go is that major changes can take place very rapidly.  Lifetime patterns can suddenly disappear, and long-standing inhibitions can be let go of in a matter of minutes, hours, or days.  Rapid changes are accompanied by an increased aliveness.  The life energy set free by the letting go of negativity now flows into positive attitudes, thoughts, and feelings, with a progressive increase of personal power.

When the negative blocks and “I can’ts” are removed, whole new areas of life open up to us.  Success stems from doing what we like to do best, but most people are tied down to what they imagine they have to do.  As limitations are relinquished, whole new avenues of creativity and expression become available.  It is very common for people who use the letting go technique to suddenly come into abundance.

…As we let go of the negative, we come into our own power.  It happens of its own.  Happiness was in there all along and now it shines forth after the blocks to it have been surrendered.  We are now influencing everyone with whom we come in contact in a favorable way.

…Name an area of expression, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant, that has become a reality for you as result of the letting go method.  Write down the positive feelings you have about this newfound expression.  Then congratulate yourself on the work you have done!

The Letting Go Guided Journal: pg. 90-91

Love emanates from the heart.  When we are in the presence of people who love each other, we pick up on that energy.  The love of our loved ones, pets, and friends is the love of Divinity for us. Each moment is possible only because of love.  Being surrounded by the energy field of love brings gratitude.  We are thankful for our life and for all the miracles of life.

Think about your life now, and contemplate all that you’ve been given.  Write down what you are grateful for, regardless of how small or insignificant it seems.

The Letting Go Guided Journal, pg. 73

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In the state of acceptance, there is the feeling that nothing needs to be changed.  This is different from resignation, where there are still residuals of the previous emotion left.  There is reluctance and a delaying of the true recognition of the facts.  Resignation says, ” I don’t like it, but I have to put up with it.”

With acceptance, resistance to the true nature of the facts has been relinquished; thus, one of the signs of acceptance is serenity.  With acceptance, the struggle is over and life begins anew.  This consciousness level is one that we all long to achieve, for it enables us to find freedom from most of life’s problems and to experience fulfillment and happiness.  Here, the source of love is seen to be within ourselves, emanating from our own nature and reaching out to include others.  Our lovingness radiates out naturally from the essence of our being, because many of the blocks to its awareness have been surrendered.

We discover that this lovingness is our nature, and it is what the great teachers mean by our true essence, our true Self.  It is the aim of our Self to transcend the ego, that composite of all our negative feelings, programs, and thoughts, so that we are able to experience the inner essential nature.

The Letting Go Guided Journal: How to Remove Your Inner Blocks to Happiness, Love, and Success. pg. 76 – New!

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It is common for people to repress their anger, aggression, and hostility; they view anger as unpleasant, undignified, and even as a moral failure or spiritual setback.  They do not realize that repressed anger is nonetheless the energy of anger and, if not acknowledged and worked through, it will have deleterious consequences to their health and overall progress.

A helpful approach is to view the energy of anger positively and to use it to fire up your ambitions and actions in a useful way.  Think of a relationship or situation either past or present that is causing you to feel angry and resentful.  Write down how this energy of anger can be focused in a positive way, toward achieving a goal or project.  For example: The energy of anger spurred me to wash the kitchen floor, which I had been putting off.

Letting Go Guided Journal: How to Remove Your Inner Blocks to Happiness, Love, and Success, pg. 56 – New!

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It is often beneficial to look at some commonly held beliefs and let go of them right in the beginning, such as (1) We only deserve things through hard work, struggle, sacrifice, and effort; (2) Suffering is beneficial and good for us; (3) We don’t get anything for nothing; (4) Things that are very simple aren’t worth much.  We may also fear that if we let go of a desire for something, we won’t get it.  Surrendering some of these psychological barriers to the technique itself will allow an enjoyment of its effortlessness and ease.

Make a list of some limiting beliefs you have about success, money, relationships, or health that you would like to use to practice the letting go technique.  Journal about your insights, and practice letting go on each one of them.

From: The Letting Go Guided Journal: How to Remove Your Inner Blocks to Happiness, Love, and Success, pg. 14 – new!

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We cannot become strong by catering to human weakness.  We become strong by supporting strength.  We become dynamic when we support the aliveness of others.  We become great when we support the greatness of others.  We become beautiful when we support the beauty of life.  If we are truly coming from the heart, we don’t have to worry about success.  The world will love us, be loyal to us, support us and forgive us all kinds of mistakes.  If we treat all of our customers like royalty, surprisingly we will find ourselves living a rather royal life.

Daily Reflections from Dr. David R. Hawkins, pg. 139

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Because emotions emit a vibrational energy field, they affect and determine the people who are in our lives. Life events become influenced by our repressed and suppressed emotions on the psychic level. Thus, anger attracts angry thoughts. The basic rule of the psychic universe is that “like attracts like.” Similarly, “love promotes love,” so that the person who has let go of a lot of inner negativity is surrounded by loving thoughts, loving events, loving people, and loving pets. This phenomenon explains many scriptural quotations and common sayings that have puzzled the intellect, such as, “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer,” and “Those who have, get.” As a general rule, therefore, people who are carrying the consciousness of apathy bring poverty circumstances into their lives, and those with a prosperity consciousness bring abundance into their lives.

Because all living things are connected on vibrational energy levels, our basic emotional state is picked up and reacted to by all life forms around us.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 2, pg. 19

The source of pain is not the belief system itself but one’s attachment to it and the inflation of its imaginary value.  The inner processing of attachments is dependent on the exercise of the will, which alone has the power to undo the mechanism of attachment by the process of surrender.  This may be subjectively experienced or contextualized as sacrifice, although it is actually a liberation.  The emotional pain of loss arises from the attachment itself and not from the “what” that has been lost.

Daily Reflections from Dr. David R. Hawkins, pg. 123

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Each of us has within us a certain reservoir of suppressed and repressed fear. This quantity of fear spills into all areas of our life, colors all of our experience, decreases our joy in life, and reflects itself in the musculature of the face so as to affect our physical appearance, our physical strength, and the condition of health in all of the organs in the body.  Sustained and chronic fear gradually suppresses the body’s immune system.  … Although we know that it is totally damaging to our relationships, health, and happiness, we still hang on to fear.  Why is that?

We have the unconscious fantasy that fear is keeping us alive; this is because fear is associated with our whole set of survival mechanisms. We have the idea that if we were to let go of fear, our main defense mechanism, we would become vulnerable in some way.  In Reality, the truth is just the opposite.  Fear is what blinds us to the real dangers of life.  In fact, fear itself is the greatest danger that the human body faces. It is fear and guilt that bring about disease and failure in every area of our lives.

We could take the same protective actions out of love rather than out of fear. Can we not care for our bodies because we appreciate and value them, rather than out of fear of disease and dying? Can we not be of service to others in our life out of love, rather than out of fear of losing them? Can we not be polite and courteous to strangers because we care for our fellow human beings, rather than because we fear of losing their good opinion of us? … Can we not perform our job well because we care about the recipients of our services, rather than just the fear of losing our jobs or pursuing our own ambition?  Can we not accomplish more by cooperation, rather than fearful competition? …On a Spiritual level, isn’t it more effective if, out of compassion and identification with our fellow human beings, we care for them, rather than trying to love them out of fear of God’s punishment if we don’t?

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 6, pg. 99-100

Just on the physical level, we saw from the Heisenberg principle that the state of the universe, as it is now, which we can define by the Schrödinger equation, is changed by merely observing it. Because what happens is you collapse the wave function from potentiality to actuality. You now have a new reality. In fact, you have to use different mathematical formulas, like the Dirac equation. So, you’ve gone from potential into actuality. That transformation does not occur without interjection of consciousness. Consequently, a thing could stand as a potentiality for thousands of years. Along comes somebody who looks at it differently, and bang, it becomes an actuality. So the unmanifest then becomes the manifest as the consequence of creation. Therefore, predicting the future is impossible because you would have to know the mind of God, because creation is the unfolding of potentiality, depending on local conditions and intention. You have no idea what intention is. Intention can change one second from now. If the future was predictable, there would be no point to human existence because there would be no karmic benefit, no gain or capacity to undo that which is negative. It would be confined to what is called predestination. Predestination and predictions of the future miss the whole purpose of existence and jump the whole understanding of the evolution of consciousness. There would be no karmic merit nor demerit. There would be no salvation. There would be no heavens. There would be no stratifications of levels of consciousness. We would all just emerge perfectly in a perfect realm. And therefore, there would be no purpose to this life at all.

The Wisdom of Dr. David R. Hawkins, Ch. 6, pg. 102

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Spiritual reality is a greater source of pleasure and satisfaction than the world can supply.  It is endless and always available in the present instead of the future.  It is actually more exciting because one learns to live on the crest of the current moment, instead of on the back of the wave (which is the past) or on the front of the wave (which is the future).  There is greater freedom from living on the exciting knife-edge of the moment than being a prisoner of the past or having expectations of the future.

Daily Reflections from Dr. David R. Hawkins: 365 Contemplations on Surrender, Healing, and Consciousness, pg. 84

All spiritual pathways and religions emphasize the need for expanding our capacity to love, and this is essentially what the process of surrender is all about.  By removing the blocks to love, the capacity to love self, others, and God is expanded.

Surrender also facilitates the basic teachings of all the world’s great religions.  The essential goal of these teachings is to surrender the “small self,” commonly called “ego.” The letting go technique facilitates the goal of dissolving the small self by using a simple inner process of surrender.  When the small self is transcended, the true inner Self shines forth.  Let us take, for instance, the most common short means of expressions of this surrendering phenomenon as given by most religions.  Typically, they follow this pattern:

Let go and let God

Be still and know that I am God.

Turn your life and will over to the care of God as you understand Him.

Surrender to what is, for God is in all things.

It is obvious that letting go of negativity facilitates the very direction that all religions and spiritual pathways urge us to take.  The process of letting go is concerned primarily with feelings, and we have seen that feelings have a profound effect on our thoughts and belief systems.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 21, pg. 312-313

People think it’s what you do or what you say or how you behave that matters.  No, it’s the consequence of that which you are.  So that which you are, if you sit alone in a cave, is influencing the consciousness level of mankind.  Even if you sit alone in a cave, it radiates out as an energy.  So, each one’s contribution raises the level of the sea.  People will ask me, “What can I do to help the world?” The best thing you can do is become the fulfillment of your own potential, because each inch that the sea rises lifts all the ships afloat.  Now, nobody has enough strength in and of himself to lift a ship, but everybody is contributing.

The Wisdom of Dr. David R. Hawkins, Ch. 3, pg. 44

…It is not something new or foreign.  It is not an esoteric teaching or somebody else’s idea or a belief system.  We are merely utilizing our own inner nature to get freer and happier.  When letting go, it’s not helpful to “think” about the technique.  It’s better, simply, just to do it.  Eventually it will be seen that all thoughts are resistance.  They are all images that the mind has made to prevent us from experiencing what actually is. When we have been letting go for a while and have begun experiencing what is really going on, we will laugh at our thoughts.  Thought are fakes, absurd make-beliefs that obscure the truth.  Pursuing thoughts can keep us occupied endlessly.  We will discover one day that we are right where we started.  Thoughts are like gold fish in a bowl; the real Self is like the water.  The real Self is the space between the thoughts, or more exactly, the field of silent awareness underneath all thoughts.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 2, pg. 23-24

The 500 level is characterized by the development of a Love that is unconditional, unchanging, and permanent.  It does not fluctuate because its source within the person who loves is not dependent on external conditions.  Loving is a state of being. It is a way of relating to the world that is forgiving, nurturing, and supportive.  Love is not intellectual and does not proceed from the mind.  Love emanates from the heart. It has the capacity to lift others and accomplish great feats because of its purity of motive.

…Love takes no position and thus is global, rising above the separation of positionality.  It is then possible t be “one with another,” as there are no longer any barriers.  Love is therefore inclusive and expands the sense of self progressively.  Love focuses on the goodness of life in all its expressions and augments that which is positive.  It dissolves negativity by recontextualizing it rather than by attacking it.

Power vs. Force, “Author’s Official Revised Edition,”, Ch. 4, pg. 112-113

Sound is discernible only because it is superimposed against the background of silence, and thus form can only be recognized because it is superimposed within formless space. Likewise, the content of the mind is only identifiable because of its formless, silent background screen.  The experiencer can thus be directed to focus on the silent, formless backdrop.  The substrate, because of its silence, has an innate feeling of peace.  Silence and peace can be chosen, appreciated, valued and welcomed as relief from the constant tension of the ever-watchful expectancy of the experiencer function.  When peace is more valued than the entertainment of the insatiable ego, it will be discovered to be ever present and available.  That one even has such an option is unknown to 99.7 percent of the population.  Thus, there is an unknown freedom available; one can choose merely to refuse the ego investment in the world and one’s thoughts about it (i.e., surrender it to God).

Discovery of the Presence of God, Ch. 15, pg. 247-248

If an event occurs outside the domain of explanation or expected linear causality paradigm, and the Newtonian, it is termed a miracle.   It is an eventuality that is brought into actuality by removal of the impediments of negativity.  This may involve relinquishment of limiting belief systems, such as “It’s impossible,” or “It is not deserved” or other ego viewpoints.  For those who have reached higher levels of consciousness, the miraculous is not only commonplace, it is the natural course of events and becomes continuous.  The miraculous comes out of creation and not causality.

The Eye of the “I”, Ch. 9, pg. 139

When we are operating on the level of acceptance, enjoyment, warmth, gentleness, softness, trustingness, inner truth, and faith, the emotional purposes to which the other person responds are those of love, enjoyment, pleasure, harmony, peacefulness, understanding, and sharing.  Their reaction to us will be one of acceptance, satisfaction, feeling “in tune,” feeling understood, and joy.  They will automatically return our love.  it is rather obvious that these reciprocal feelings bring about success in whatever the venture may be with the other person, whether it is vocational, personal or a simple everyday business interaction.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 18, pg. 269

Q. What is the most serviceable presumptive view of the world for a spiritual student/devotee/seeker?

A. Presume that the world’s actual purpose is perfect and fully known only by God.  See it as neutral overall but with the benefit that it provides optimal opportunity for spiritual growth and the evolution of consciousness.  It is a school for enlightenment and the revelation of Divinity whereby consciousness/awareness reawakes to its Source.  Thus, to pursue enlightenment in and of itself serves the world and God.

Discovery of the Presence of God, Ch. 10, pg. 168

Looking at the feelings on the level of interpersonal relationships, we now discover another law of consciousness. Our feelings and thoughts always have an effect on other persons and affect our relationships whether these thoughts or feelings are verbalized, expressed, or not.   …We can likely intuit the truth of this law of consciousness from our own experience.  We generally know, for example, when someone is angry toward us, even if they say nothing about it.  Sensing their repressed angry feeling, we might ask, “Is something wrong?” Even when they reply, “Oh nothing,” we are still aware of the energy of anger and upset.

It is somewhat dismaying to discover the truth of this interfacing at the energetic level, but anyone can discover it by inner investigation.  The overall attitudes we hold about another person are influencing that other person’s feelings and attitudes about us whether we express them or not.

When first discovering the truth of this we might go through sort of a mild paranoia.  Most everyone is brought up to believe that our thoughts and feelings are private affairs and nobody else’s business, that minds are separated and that emotions happen only within the confines of the body.  As we begin to investigate this area, we find that often the set of feelings we hold about another person is mirrored back to us by their attitude and that, when we change our inner attitude about them, their attitude changes abruptly. We are unconsciously influencing others all the time because of the feeling we hold about them.  As we become more intuitive, we will laugh at our former naiveté.

The only way to get over this initial paranoia is to clean up our own act.  Finding out what needs to be cleaned up is simple and easy. Just look at what you would not want others to know about you and begin to surrender it!

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 18, pg. 258-259

The 500 level is characterized by the development of a Love that is unconditional, unchanging and permanent.  It does not fluctuate because its source within the person who loves is not dependent on external conditions.  Loving is a state of being.  It is a way of relating to the world that is forgiving, nurturing, and supportive.  Love is not intellectual and  it does not proceed from the mind.  Love emanates from the heart.  It has the capacity to lift others and accomplish great feats because of its purity of motive.

At this level of development the capacity to discern essence becomes predominant; the core of an issue becomes the center of focus.  As reason is bypassed, there arises the capacity for instantaneous recognition of the totality of a problem and a major expansion of context, especially regarding time and process.  Reason deals only with particulars, whereas Love deals with wholes.  This ability, often ascribed to intuition, is the capacity for instantaneous understanding without resorting to sequential symbol processing.  This apparently abstract phenomenon is in fact, quite concrete; it is accompanied by a measurable release of endorphins in the brain.

Love takes no position and thus is global, rising above the separation of positionality.  It is then possible to be “one with another,” as there are no longer any barriers.  Love is therefore inclusive and expands the sense of self progressively.  Love focuses on the goodness of life in all its expressions and augments that which is positive.  It dissolves negativity by recontextualizing it rather than by attacking it.

Power vs Force, ch. 4, pg. 112-113

Through spiritual alignment, intention, and devotion – aided by meditation, contemplation, authenticated instruction, and Truth; and assisted by the energy field of an advanced teacher – great leaps of consciousness can occur unexpectedly.  Thus, it is important to know of these leaps well in advance, as confirmed by consciousness research.

The chances of becoming enlightened are now more than one thousand times greater than at any time in the past, which means that reaching the level of Unconditional Love (calibration 540) is a very attainable and practical goal.  From the level of Unconditional love, the pathway is increasingly joyful.  At level 600, there occurs an infinite, silent stillness and peace – and progression from there is up to the Will of God, karma, and the potentialized Knowingness nascent within the spiritual aura.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 135

One of the great secrets of relationship is acknowledgment.  The behavior of others toward us always includes a hidden gift.  Even if that behavior appears negative, there is something in it for us.  Very often that something appears in the form of a signal to us to become more aware.  Let’s say, for example, that somebody call us “stupid.”  Our natural response is one of anger.  We can use the energy of that anger consciously: “What is that person asking me to become more aware of?” If we ask ourselves the question, we may come to the realization that we were being self-centered; we were being uncaring; we were failing to acknowledge them; and we were not being conscious and aware of what was going on in the relationship.

If we constantly follow this procedure, we will come to the awareness that everyone in our life is acting as a mirror.  They are really reflecting back to us what we have failed to acknowledge within ourselves.  They are forcing us to look at what needs to be addressed.  What aspect of our smaller self needs to be relinquished? This means that we have to constantly let go of pride in order to undo anger, so that we can be grateful for the continual opportunities of growth with which we are presented in the course of every day experience.

Letting Go, Ch. 8, pg. 127-128

Divine Grace determines all Creation in all its expressions and aspects.  We say that the unmanifest comes into expression as manifestation by ordinance of Divine will.  This is made possible and activated by the Presence, whose quality is to potentiate the evolution of possibility into actuality.  We could say, for instance, that a seed is dormant and inactive, but in the Divine Presence, it begins to grow.  The potential patterns for the emergence of materiality reside within the invisible domain as energy patterns.  The quality of ‘realness’ is only the radiance of the Self, which imbues the quality we call realness.  The ordinary mind attributes this quality of realness to any material and imagines that the realness emanates from the material itself.  The only thing that is real is the Self which, by nature of its divinity, radiates forth the qualities of life, reality, and existence.  Life is either present or not.

By Dr. Hawkins, The Eye of the I, hardcover, ch.11, pg. 172

Humor is an expression of freedom and joyfulness, and laughter is biologically healing …. Faith, love, and joy are the high road; doom and gloom merely lead to sadness and despondency.  Self-hatred blinds awareness of the Self as a reflection of Divine Creation.

◊

That which I am is Allness.  To realize that one already is and always has been All That Is leaves nothing to be added.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 116 and pg. 177 top

When we put pressure on other people in order to get what we want, they automatically resist, because we are trying to pressure them.  The harder we push, the harder they resist.  Even though, out of fear, they may actually concede to our demands, there is not an inner acceptance and, later on, we will lose what we have gained.  This resistance is in all of us.  We can be aware of it as it operates unconsciously, and we evade that awareness by making excuses and plausible explanations.

…One way around it is to take the view that our responsibility is to make an effort, but not try to determine the result.  Another way is to surrender the feelings we have about what we want from the other person, and let go of the pressures we are putting on them in the form of expectation and desire.  They, then have the psychic space to become agreeable or even to initiate the desired result on their own, the result we had wished for in the first place.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 18, pg. 274

Realization is not a “gain” or an accomplishment, nor is it something that is “given” as a reward for being good – these are all notions from childhood.  God is immutable and cannot be manipulated into granting favors, or seduced by bargaining or adulation.  Worship benefits the worshipper by reinforcing commitment and inspiration.  God is still, silent, and unmoving.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 90

Consciousness does so automatically when understanding occurs through reflection, familiarity, prayer, meditation, or inspiration.  It is also facilitated by the words or level of consciousness of the teacher.  What is impossible at one level of consciousness becomes obvious and simple at a higher one.  A human being is both spirit and body; therefore, it is at all times actually existing in both the linear and the nonlinear domains.  The body, unless imbued with consciousness and subjective awareness, is not aware of its own existence.  It takes action only when it is motivated and presented with value, such as the desire for enjoyment in the experience of life.

The Eye of the I hardcover, ch. 20, pg. 299

It is both a large subject and yet a very simple one.  The simplest practices are the best and can be continuous throughout the day’s activities.  Formally, if we sit still, close our eyes and stay aware of the breathing, we can look at the patterns that appear to our vision behind closed eyelids.  One simply observes the procession of the mind’s activities without interference or comment.  From there, one then moves on and focuses attention to what it is that is watching this procession.  Identifying the watcher then leads into the witness, which in turn leads to the awareness of the experiencer that these are qualities of consciousness.  One is aware of the witnessing, experiencing, and watching and that these are happening by themselves.  These are impersonal qualities of consciousness. They happen automatically.  There is actually no personal entity that is ‘doing’ the watching, witnessing. or observing.  It is also important to notice that this impersonal quality is unaffected by the content of that which is observed.  The real, transcendent ‘I’ even witnesses sleep.

The Eye of the ‘I’ hardcover, ch. 17, pg.245-246

Every loving or compassionate thought outweighs many thousands of negative thoughts held by others.  We change the world not by what we say or do but as a consequence of what we have become.  Thus, every spiritual aspirant serves the world.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 81

Being a social reformer is an entirely different career from that of seeking enlightenment.  It is well to remember that spiritual advancement influences everyone else from within, whereas force tries to change the external only.  Surrendering a personal grievance or grudge is more rewarding for all society than marching up and down with provocative signs and slogans.  To the spiritually advanced persons, whether other people agree with them or not is immaterial as they no longer need to look outside themselves for validation or agreement.

The Eye of the I: From Which Nothing is Hidden, hardcover,  ch. 13, pg. 198

Forgiveness is an aspect of love that allows us to see life events from the viewpoint of grace.  We forgive ourselves for the errors we made when we were less evolved.  It is helpful to see the ego or small part of ourselves as a cute little teddy bear.  The teddy bear is not “bad”; we don’t hate or scold the little bear.  We love it and accept it for what it is: a cute little animal who doesn’t know any better.  We transcend the smaller aspects of ourselves by accepting and loving them.  We see the ego as “limited,” not “bad.”

In the energy field of love, we are surrounded with love, and that brings gratitude.  We are thankful for our life and for all the miracles of life.  We are thankful for the doggies and the kitties, because they represent love. We are grateful for every act of kindness from others, their affection, caringness, and thoughtfulness.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, ch. 12, pg.176

This is an attitude of withdrawal of emotional entanglement in worldly affairs.  It leads to serenity and peace of mind.  It is supported by refusing the emotional seduction of other people’s upsets and problems.  It also involves a willingness to allow the world and its affairs to work out its own problems and destiny.  Reactive involvement and intervention in the world can be better left to people who have a different calling.  A ‘good person’ is one thing; enlightenment is another.  One is responsible for the effort and not the result, which is up to God and the universe.

Nonattachment is not the same as indifference, withdrawal, or detachment.  Misunderstanding that the development of detachment is required often ends up as flatness or apathy.  In contrast, nonattachment allows full participation in life without trying to control outcomes.

The Eye of the I, Ch. 9, Advanced Awareness, pg. 195-196

One’s Commitment should be to God and Truth only.  Teachers are to be respected, but devotion should be restricted to only the Truth. As Buddha said, “Put no head above your own” meaning that one’s only true guru is the Self (the Buddha nature). The Self of the teacher and one’s own Self are one and the same. The teacher becomes a source of inspiration and information. It is the inspiration that supports the quest.

Does spiritual commitment mean one has to give up the world? No, of course not. It means merely that worldly life needs to be recontextualized, restructured, and envisioned differently. It is not the world that is a trap, but one’s attachment to it, along with one’s observations that cloud the search for Truth.  Some attractions themselves are merely time wasters, while others are serious traps with grim consequences in which the unaware become immersed.  On the other hand, it is sometimes only as the result of the sheer agony of one’s having gone astray that hitting bottom, letting go, and accepting better choices occurs.  Therefore, one can never say it is wrong for anyone to follow any particular pathway for it may be the very means of their ultimate salvation, as painful as it may be.  We can say with certainty that anything that fails to make one go strong with the muscle-test method is not a direction that a committed spiritual seeker of enlightenment wants to follow.

The Eye of the “I”, ch. 8, pg.162

Q: What do you think is the most frequent cause for our resistance to surrender?

A: We think that somehow, if we hang on to that feeling, it is going to get us what we want.  If we get stuck in a feeling, it is useful to look at the question of what we think we have accomplished by hanging on to it.  We will almost always find that we have a fantasy that it will have some effect on some other person and change their behavior or attitudes toward us.  If we let go of that, we become willing to let go of the feeling.

Letting Go: The Pathway to Surrender, Ch. 21, pg. 328

In looking at this from the viewpoint of Truth, we can see there is no such thing as “just ego.”  It would mean that there is some place where God is not.  All positions represent ego, and the ego is then superimposed on that which is not ego.  There has to be something larger, which is consciousness itself.  To safely do spiritual work and avoid crises, it is necessary to reaffirm, look within, and discover one’s own innocence.  It really is not safe to do spiritual work unless one has a glimpse of that innate naive innocence and keeps one eye on it at all times, because that innocence is the gateway back to the Truth so one does not get lost in the swamp.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 47

The Real truth is that, as we go within and discard one illusion after another, one falsehood after another, one negative program after another, it gets lighter and lighter.  Life becomes progressively more effortless.

Every great teacher since the beginning of time has said to look within and find the truth, for the truth of what we really are will set us free.  If what is to be found within ourselves were something to feel guilty about, something that is rotten, evil and negative, then all the world’s great teachers would not advise us to look there.  On the contrary, they would tell us to avoid it at all costs.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, ch. 5, pg. 104

“Love is the Ultimate Law of the Universe.” This statement calibrates at 750.  Love God with all thy heart, all thy soul and all thy mind.  You become that love and then everything happens appropriately, automatically due to what you are.  Love thy neighbor as thy self.  It is like, “How may I be of help to you, how may I comfort you, may I loan you some money when you are broke, may I help you find a job, how may I console you when you have suffered a major loss in your family.” Lovingness is a way of being in the world, and that way you light up the world.

from Book of Slides, Clarification of Slide 282, pg. 575, (slightly edited from the original source, Sept 2011 lecture)

Q: Spiritual Work sometimes appears to involve anticipation of loss.

A:  Loss is a presumption based on the eg0’s perceptions and projected values. In general, the ego’s loss is illusory and instead constitutes a gain to the Self. All ego positions represent vulnerability.  Their surrender results in greater inner security and pleasure in life.  Eventually, one analogously feels ‘bullet-proof’ and independent of external circumstances.  Even the survival of the body itself eventually becomes irrelevant for its transitoriness is accepted.

Q: But is not survival itself due to the ego’s motives and mechanisms?

A: That is also an illusion.  Survival is a consequence of the Self, not the self.  It is only because of the Self that the ego is of service for a prescribed period of earthly time.  When the ego/mind is silenced, life goes on autonomously, paradoxically even seeing effort as effortless.  All comes about as a consequence of potentiality’s emerging as actuality when conditions permit.  Intention is such a condition.  Eventually, even intention subsides as the will is surrendered to God.

Discovery of the Presence of God, Ch. 13, pg. 223-224

All avenues of questioning lead to the same ultimate answer.  The discovery that nothing is hidden and Truth stands everywhere revealed is the key to enlightenment about the simplest practical affairs and the destiny of mankind.  In the process of examining our everyday lives, we can find that all our fears have been based on falsehood.  The displacement of the false by the true is the essence of the healing of all things visible and invisible.  And always, a final question will eventually arise for every questioner – the biggest question of all: “Who am I?”

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 136

Paradoxically, benefit is derived by the self-interest of the ego when it begins to realize that there is a great advantage to unselfishness.   When it learns of the benefit of letting go of egocentric goals, the ego itself then becomes the springboard to spiritual inquiry and the means to its own transcendence, realizing that humility is strength and not weakness, and that it is wisdom and not ignorance.  The willingness to “forgive and forget” calibrates at 450 (reason/logic).  The willingness to “forgive and surrender to God” calibrates at 540 (unconditional love).

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 42

Because pride is sometimes seen as a motivator of achievement, what would be its higher level substitute? One answer would be joy.  What is wrong with joy as the reward for successful achievement, rather than pride? Pride carries with it the desire for recognition from others and, consequently, there is a vulnerability to anger and disappointment if it is not forthcoming at some point.  If we achieve a certain goal for the pleasure, enjoyment, love of accomplishment, and the inner joy that it brings to us, we are invulnerable to the reaction of others.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, pg. 144

The small self is dissolved by the Self.  The healing attitude of the Self to the self is compassion; it is through forgiveness that one is forgiven.  This willingness to surrender, arising out of the Grace of God, permits the power of God expressed as the Holy Spirit to recontextualize understanding–and, by this device, to undo the reign of perception and its attendant duality, which is the source of all suffering.  The dissolution of duality is the ultimate gift of God, for it dissolves the very source and capacity for suffering.  In nonduality, suffering is not possible.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 110

All thinking, from a spiritual viewpoint, is merely vanity, illusion, and pomposity.  The less one thinks, the more delightful life becomes.  Thinkingness eventually becomes replaced by knowingness.  That one “is” does not really need any thought at all.  It is helpful, therefore, to make a decision to stop mental conversation and useless babbling.

Once thoughts, like objects, are depersonalized, they become devalued and lose their attraction.  Thoughts and feelings arise from desire, and the mind desires what it values.

To clear the mind, merely note that nothing at all is of special or unique “value” or “worth” except by invested, superimposed, and projected belief.  Therefore, withdraw value, worth, importance, and interest.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 65

The love of God by worship, devotion, commitment, declaration, or selfless service is the catalyst and the formal invitation for the Intercession of Divinity via the power of the nonlinear field of consciousness itself, which is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent.  By surrender of all resistances, this powerful nonlinear field becomes progressively dominant and eventually an all-encompassing Presence.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 59

The Radiance of God is the light of awareness that reveals the Divinity of all that exists.  In the stillness of the Infinite Presence, the mind is silent, as there is nothing that can be said; all speaks of itself with completeness and exactitude.  With this realization, one transcends the final duality of existence versus nonexistence because only existence is possible.  The opposite of Truth does not exist, since Reality excludes nonreality.  In this realization resides the Peace of God.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 106

It is simple to observe that although there is a “talking mind” going on at the same time, there also a silent awareness that is more global and unfocused and operates automatically.  Contemplation or meditation that focuses attention on context rather than content facilitates moving one’s identity from the transient and volitional (thereby becoming personal) to the unchanging quality of awareness itself. This leads to the discovery that one is the field and not the specifics of the content.  This jump is a level of the Buddhist state of satori.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 71-72

To transcend the linear to the nonlinear is the way of the mystic – the pathway of nonduality –- to realize the inner light of consciousness itself, the True Immortal Self.  Everyone trusts the inner sense of reality or capacity to “know” that underlies all experiencing and witnessing, no matter what the content.  The content of mind thinks, but only the nonlinear field “knows,” or how else would it be possible to know what is being thought?

Because everyone actually lives in the experiential at every moment, the Source of the capacity to know or experience is close at hand and is itself pristine. All human beings experience that they are continuously “experiencing,” no matter what the ever-changing content might be.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 111

To look within for the actual source of love leads to the discovery of the Self.  Like the sun, the Self is ever present, unconditional, and not subject to thought, opinion, or attitude.  The Self can only love because that is its essence.  The love of the Self is not earned, deserved, or subject to limitation.  The Self is the source of life and the subjective awareness of existence…. It is beyond all dualities; there is no duality between the Self and existence.  The Unmanifest and Manifest are one and the same.  Consciousness may include content, or it may not.  By analogy, space is not dependent on the presence of planets or universes, yet it includes all of them.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 134

Letting go greatly facilitates the power of affirmations.  An affirmation is a positive statement.  Its power is limited by the fact that, either consciously or unconsciously, we have multiple negative programs that are saying the very opposite thing to the affirmation.  You can discover this for yourself by noticing that, as you write affirmations, your mind comes up with, “Yeah, but…”  It is these “Yeah, buts…” that limit the power of the affirmation and reduce its effectiveness.  If you surrender the obstacles to the affirmation, you will notice a rapid increase in their effectiveness.

The Ego is Not the Real You, Part II, pg. 51-52

All things are in a state of silent rejoicing that their consciousness is an experience of Divinity.  Unique to all things is a still, ever-present gratitude that they have been granted the gift of experiencing the presence of God. This gratitude is the form in which worship is expressed. All that is created and has existence shares in reflecting the glory of God.

The Ego is Not the Real You, Pg 83

There is nothing more wonderful than arriving back home again at one’s Source.  The illusion is that one struggles with spiritual growth by one’s own effort; in fact, we are pulled into greater awareness by the Will of God expressed as the Holy Spirit, and all that is necessary is to allow it to happen by surrendering completely. For truly, only God is God.

 The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 106

The infinite presence of all things is beyond all time and space, forever complete, perfect, and whole.  All points of observation disappear, and there is the omnipresence of that which Knows All by the fact that it is All.  As Reality stands forth in its stunning self-evidence and infinite peace, it appears that the block to Realization was the mind itself, which is not different from the ego – they are one and the same.

The Ego is Not the Real You, part III, pg. 101

If the goal of life is to do the very best one can do at each unfolding moment of existence, then through spiritual work, one has already escaped the primary cause of suffering.  In the stop-frame of the radical present, there is no life story to react to or edit.  With this “one-pointedness” of mind, it soon becomes obvious that everything merely “is as it is,” without comment or adjectives.

The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 66

Like the Sun, the inner Self is always shining but because of negative clouds, we do not experience it.  It is not necessary to program oneself with the truth; it is only necessary to remove that which is false.  The removal of the clouds from the sky to illuminate the negative allows one to experience the energy fields of that which is positive.  It is only the removal of the negative that is necessary—the willingness to let go of the habits of negative thinking.  The removal of the obstacles to the experiencing of this will result in an increasing sense of aliveness and a joy of one’s own existence.

The Ego is Not the Real You, part II, pg. 57

In the Presence of God, all suffering ceases.  One has returned to one’s Source, which is not different from one’s own Self.  It is as though one had forgotten, or is now awakened from, a dream.  All fears are revealed to be groundless; all worries are foolish imaginings.  There is no future to fear, nor past to regret.  There is no errant ego/self to admonish or correct.  There is nothing that needs changing or improving.  There is nothing about which to feel ashamed or guilty.  There is no “other” from which one can be separated.  No loss is possible.  Nothing needs to be done, no effort is required, and one is free from the endless tug of desire and want.

The Ego is Not the Real Self, Part III, Pg. 98

Even the simplest action, such as peeling a potato, can be accompanied by resentment or by devotion to life out of joy, knowing that one is supporting life through life.  In gratitude for the gift of life, one dedicates that life back as a gift to God through selfless service to His creation as all of life.  With this dedication, one validates the sacredness of all life and treats it with respect.

The Ego is Not the Real You, Part III, pg. 114

What does it mean, “to become more conscious”? To begin with, becoming more conscious means to start looking for the truth for ourselves, instead of blindly allowing ourselves to be programmed, whether from without or by an inner voice within the mind, which seeks to diminish and invalidate, focusing on all that is weak and helpless.  To get out of it, we have to accept the responsibility that we bought into the negativity and have been willing to believe it.  The way out of this, then, is to start questioning everything.

There are many models of the mind.  One of the most recent has been that of the computer.  We can look at the mind’s concepts, thoughts, and belief systems as programs.  Because they are programs, they can be questioned, cancelled, and reversed; positive programs can replace  negative ones if we so choose.

Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender, Ch. 4, pg. 55

The mind will get critical and try to save face by ridiculing a higher state.  This is a golden opportunity because this is the very attitude that prevents a person from reaching that higher state of life. The very process of reading this material is invaluable, for it will reveal precisely what the blocks are and exactly why these goals are impossible at the present time.  As resistances, criticisms, and disparagements come up, we can begin surrendering them and letting them go right now in the process of reading about them.  It is a great opportunity to identify the inner blocks to fulfillment.  As Pogo said, “we have identified the enemy, and it is us.”

The Ego is Not the Real You, Part II, page, 54

The spontaneity of life is an expression of essences interacting effortlessly.  The miracle of Creation is continuous, and all life shares in the Divinity of its Source, for nothing comes into existence except by Divine ordinance.  Once the sacredness of life is revealed, there follows the knowingness of what is meant by the phrase, “Gloria in Excelsis Deo!”

The Ego is Not the Real You, Part III, pg. 92

Be resolute on the level of absolutely no reservation.  Avoid the lure of the astral realms.  Beware of the wolves in sheep’s clothing, for they are attracted to the devotee who is making significant progress.  Do not accept anyone into your life who does not pass the calibratable level of Truth.  Keep your spiritual goal ever in awareness, no matter what the activity.  Dedicate all endeavors to God.  Remember the true nature of God and avoid any teachings that state otherwise.

The Ego is Not the Real You, Part III, pg. 124

In Reality, everything is spontaneously manifesting the inherent destiny of its essence; it doesn’t need any external help to do this.  With humility, one can relinquish the ego’s self-appointed role as savior of the world and surrender it straight to God.  The world that the ego pictures is a projection of its own illusions and arbitrary positionalities.  No such world exists.

The Ego is Not the Real You, Part II, Surrendering the Self, pg. 73-74

The basic dictum to comprehend is that the body obeys the mind; therefore, the body tends to manifest what the mind believes. The belief may be held consciously or unconsciously.  This dictum follows from the law of consciousness that states:  We are only subject to what we hold in mind. The only power or energy that anything has over us is the power of belief that we give it. By “power,” we mean energy and the will to believe.

From Letting Go, The Pathway of Surrender, Chapter 15, Relationship Between Mind and Body, The Influence of Mind, pg. 212

All the truth that is necessary to know has already been spoken by actual beings on this planet.  All Great Teachers proclaim the same truth, for there is none other.  The Radiance of the Self within beckons one on and provides spiritual inspiration and strength.  The Presence of God within is the source of one’s existence; therefore, to seek one’s source is in accord with God’s Will.

From The Ego is Not the Real You, Part II, pg. 75

In the surrendered state, we are independent of the outer world as a source of satisfaction because the source of happiness has been found within us.

From Letting Go The Pathway of Surrender, pg. 253

It is helpful to realize that the anger is not at what ‘is’, but at what ‘is not’.  We are angry not because someone is selfish or stingy, as we think, but actually because they are not considerate, generous, or loving.  If recontextualized is done in this way, then people are seen as being limited rather than wrong.  Each person has developed only up to a specific point in their evolution, and therefore, it is easier to see and accept limitation rather than fault.

From The Eye of the I, p. 365

The desire to search for God or enlightenment is already evidence of having been spiritually inspired.  As the ego vacates, the Radiance of the Self uplifts and inspires.  Henceforth, it is not possible to be alone.  At the critical moment, spiritual commitment and dedication bring forth the unseen help of the Great Beings who are no longer in physical bodies – yet their energy stands at the great doorway of the final moment when one is sustained by the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of the teachers of Truth.

From The Ego is Not the Real You, pg. 124

In contrast to the ego’s perception of God, the Absolute Reality of the Self is the manifestation of God as the very core of one’s existence.  The love of the Presence is ultrapersonal and experienced as infinite peace, infinite security, and the safety of foreverness so that there is no imaginary “end” to fear.  The God of the Presence imbues the joy of completion. Love is not a “quality” of God but is God’s very essence.

From The Ego is not the Real You, Part III, pg. 88

Whereas the goal of the ego/mind is primarily to do, act, acquire, or perform, the intention of contemplation is to “become.” While the intellect wants to know “about,” contemplation seeks Knowingness itself and autonomous wisdom.  Rational thinking is time related, sequential, and linear, whereas contemplation occurs outside of sequential time.  It is nonlinear and related to comprehension of essence.  Devotional contemplation is a way or style of being in the world whereby one’s life becomes a prayer.

From  The Ego is Not the Real You, Part I, pg. 22

True happiness arises from the nonlinear. With relinquishment of dependence on the experiencer for pleasure and happiness, one discovers that the source of happiness is one’s own existence, and the realization of the Self is happiness itself.

From The Ego is Not the Real You pg. 87

The true validation of spiritual truth is subjective, experiential, progressive.  It often takes the form of spontaneous discovery, subtle revelation, and emergence of a new, more expanded awareness.  This is consequent to the transition from identification with content to that of context.  A subtle satisfaction accompanies inner growth that is affirmative as a knowingness consequent to surrender, which invites Divine Grace.  These are recognized to be gifts rather than acquisitions or consequences of one’s personal efforts.  One experiences that gains have not been acquired but have been granted; thus, gratitude replaces spiritual pride or the vanity of spiritual ego that seeks to claim credit.

From Reality, Spirituality, and Modern Man (HC), Ch. 10, pg. 195

All the great spiritual teachers throughout history were mystics, and the source of their awareness of spiritual truth was the result of Enlightenment and the transformational Realization of the Reality of Divinity as the subjective knowingness that ensues from advanced consciousness by virtue of being at One with the Known.  Thus, the Avatar does not speak from knowing “about” but from the actual Presence within, which radiates forth and constitutes the Essence of that which replaces the mind as the source of understanding and Knowingness (the classic Purusha).  The process whereby this transformation occurs has been described in the history of each saint, sage, and divine teacher and is often included in the scripture itself.

…The source of the highest spiritual truth is non-mental, and the intellect has difficulty comprehending this critical fact because the mind is intrinsically dualistic and limited, expecting a “this” to come from a “that.” In the advanced spiritual Reality, duality dissolves because the “this” is the “that.” The seeker and the Sought become One with the transcendence of the limitation of duality, i.e., Realization of the Self, Illumination, and Enlightenment, i.e., “The Kingdom of God is within you.”

From Truth vs Falsehood (HC), Ch. 17, pg. 365-366

A spiritually-oriented person values all of life’s experiences and sees each one as an opportunity to evolve spiritually. The technique of processing out involves very simple steps that all depend on willingness and the capacity to surrender.

Stay with the feeling and stay focused on it unswervingly. Realize that all pain is due to resistance. The suffering of loss stems from the attachment and specialness.

Be willing to become immersed in and surrender to the feelings without avoiding them. Notice that they come in waves and that surrendering to the most intense waves tends to decrease their emotional severity.

Ask God’s help and surrender the personal will to God.

… Be willing to endure and suffer out the process. If not resisted, it will process itself out and come to an end.

… A helpful source of strength during the processing out of painful emotions is to identify with all of humanity and realize that suffering is universal and innate to the phenomenon of being human and the evolution of the ego.

From Transcending the Levels of Consciousness p. 98-99

Calm reflection and introspection allow information to become integrated, correlated, and recontextualized.  Thus, a contemplative state is more relaxed, open, spontaneous, and intuitive than goal-directed activities.  Contemplation allows inferences and general principles to formulate spontaneously because it facilitates discernment of essence rather than the specifics of linear logic.  A benefit of contemplative comprehension is revelation of meaning and significance.

Whereas meditation generally involves removal from the world and its activities, contemplation is a simple style of relating to both inner and outer experiences of life, which permits participation but in a detached manner.  Intentional doingness is focused on result, whereas contemplation is related to effortless unfolding.  One could say purposeful thinking is quite ‘yang’ in character, whereas contemplation is very ‘yin’.  It facilitates the surrender and letting go of attractions, aversions, and all forms of wantingness or neediness.

From Reality, Spirituality, and Modern Man, Ch. 15, pg. 291-292

A useful decision or choice is to decide to stop mentally talking about everything and refrain from interjecting comments, opinions, preferences, and value statements. It is therefore a discipline to just watch without evaluating, investing worth in, or editorializing, commenting, and having preferences about what is witnessed. … All thinking, from a spiritual viewpoint, is merely vanity, illusion… The less one thinks, the more delightful life becomes. Thinkingness eventually becomes replaced by knowingness.

From  Discovery of the Presence of God: Devotional Nonduality, p. 88-89.

Surrender your addiction to experience. Surrender your desire and craving to experience experience. That’s the fastest way to enlightenment.

You feel the energy of experiencing coming up, and you nip it in the bud. You reach a point where you’re no longer experiencing experience. That is the state of bliss.

Let go of your identification and your attachments to the linear domain. You will then come into the presence of the Buddha nature.

You are not at the effect of anything ‘out there’. You’re doing a solo dance within yourself—for what you can juice out of it.

If you do nothing but lay back, then the grace of God reveals all to you—effortlessly. There is nothing to seek, nothing to gain, nothing to get, and nothing to experience.

Paraphrased from God vs. Science: Limits of the Mind DVD

Q: What sacrifice is required?

A: The major step is the realization that there is a source of joy and happiness that is outside and beyond the ego.  Then arise curiosity and an interest in how to reach spiritual goals.  Belief arises that is then bolstered by faith and eventually by experience.  Next follows acquisition of instruction, information, and the practice of what has been learned.  By invitation, the spiritual energy increases, followed by dedication and the willingness to surrender all obstacles.  Even the decision to turn one’s life over to God brings joy and gives life a whole new meaning.  It becomes uplifting, and the greater context gives life more significance and reward.  One eventually becomes unwilling to support negativity, within or without.  This is not because it is wrong but merely futile.  Although the journey to God begins with failure and doubt, it progresses into certainty.  The way is really quite simple.

From I: Reality and Subjectivity, Ch. 18, pg.421-422

By consciousness level 500, Love is dominant as a persistent positive emotion and an influence in society, as well as a contributor to the elevation of the overall collective consciousness of mankind.  To continue to advance requires surrendering the limitations of conditional love to unconditionality.  This necessitates surrendering love as a positive attachment so that it can become an overall contextualization and potentiality to align life as a way of being in the world rather than as an exclusive emotion between separates.  As a result, love becomes not a quantitative emotion but an expression of essence whereby loving becomes lovingness and, by identification, eventually becomes what one ‘is’.  Love as a mode of existence requires no ‘others’ as objects for fulfillment or expression.  It is an independent quality with no subject, object, verb, or adjective and thus is nonlinear and unlimited.

From Transcending the Levels of Consciousness, Ch. 14, pg. 253

Q: How do I know if I’m going in the right direction?

A: Direction is a linear concept.  What you probably mean is whether the pathway you are following is suitable and valid.  This is an important question to ask and reflects a humility in the acknowledgement of the ego/mind’s incapacity to tell truth from falsehood.  One can verify the level of consciousness of any teaching or teacher, past or present.  One can also cross- check with the muscle test to determine if this is a suitable pathway at this time for oneself.

From I: Reality and Subjectivity, Ch. 1, pg. 45

Q: Where is that reality of eternal truth to be found?

A: Begin by accepting the very important statement that all truth is subjective.  Do not waste lifetimes looking for an objective truth because no such thing exists.  Even if it did, it could not be found except by the purely subjective experience of it.  All knowledge and wisdom are subjective.  Nothing can be said to exist unless it is subjectively experienced.  Even a supposedly purely objective material world, if it existed, could be said to exist only because of one’s subjective sensory experience of it.  Even the most rabid materialist is stuck with the fact that in the end, it is only their own subjective awareness that gives it the authority of believability.

From The Eye of the “I”, Ch. 12, pg. 233

Q: Is there not a difference between an objective and a subjective reality?

A: All reality is subjective.  Every other position is an illusion based on duality.  The subjective and objective are one and the same, just different descriptions from different points of perception, duration, description, form, or measurement.  All such attributes are those of perception itself, which is, by its very nature, transitory, arbitrary, limited, illusory, and dualistic.

From The Eye of the I, Ch. 12, pg. 233-234

Q: What does ‘surrender to God’ really mean?
A:  It means to surrender control and the secret satisfactions of the ego’s positionalities. Turn only to love and to God as the source of life and joy. This choice is available in every instant. When finally chosen, the reward is great. By invitation, spiritual awareness illuminates the way. The key is willingness.

From I: Reality and Subjectivity p. 314

Q: What else is to be surrendered besides the ego’s secret payoffs?

A: One has to see through the mind’s illusion that it knows anything.  This is called humility and has the value of opening the door for realizations, revelations, and intuitive knowingness.

The mind searches for meaning and is therefore circuitous in that it can reach only its own definitions of meaning.  In Reality, nothing has any meaning for it has no attributes to be discerned.  Everything merely exists as it was created – complete and perfect.  Everything fulfills its purpose by merely being what it is.  Everything is the fulfillment of its own essence and potentiality.  The only ‘requirement’ for anything that exists is to just ‘be’. Its destiny under the conditions of any given moment is already completely fulfilled.  Therefore, that which it is represents the completion of all past possibility up to that very moment; everything is the way it is supposed to be.  As essence fulfilling its potentiality, it is witnessed by a corresponding level of consciousness.  In any nanosecond of observation, nothing is actually changing.  What are changing are the position of the witness and the point of observation.  Change is merely a process of sequential perception.

Life can be pictured as a series of stop frames, like the flicker pads of childhood.  This poses the conundrum: Is it the world that is moving or the mind that is moving?

From I: Reality and Subjectivity, ch. 18, pg. 422-423

Discernment of reality and truth has always been problematic to the human mind, whether it was aware of it or not (i.e., the subject of epistemology). The process is now made even more difficult by the overall impact of the media, the effect of which is both subtle and unconscious as well as visible and apparent. The most obvious influence of the media is by virtue of the selection itself, as well as the time devoted to its reporting, all of which are enhanced on television by visual as well as musical pictorial additions. Emotional and political distortions and dramatizations add to the editing impact reinforced by the sequence and style of presentation. … The overall impact of the media is the production of a ‘virtual reality’ that includes distorted values.

While the modern, sophisticated viewer is subliminally aware of the foregoing, persons of lower levels of consciousness are not so aware and, like children, they tend to believe fiction is truth and live in an “alternate reality”… Thus, falsehood dominates the thinking and reality testing of the majority of people in today’s world. As the Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels observed, if a lie is told frequently enough, it is eventually believed to be factual (a virtual reality) because the population lacks the capacity to discern truth from falsehood.”

From Reality, Spirituality and Modern Man p. 137-138

Q: How can contemplation be instituted, started, or learned? It is a decision?

A: It is only a matter of awareness.  It is really nothing new and therefore does not need to be learned but only given attention.  A useful decision or choice is to decide to stop mentally talking about everything and refrain from interjecting comments, opinions, preferences, and value statements.  It is therefore a discipline to just watch without evaluating, investing worth in, or editorializing, commenting, and having preferences about what is witnessed.  One then sees the rising and falling away of phenomena and the transitory nature of appearance, which, with ordinary mentation, is conceptualized as a sequence of cause and effect.  It is an informative practice to ‘pretend’ to be stupid, and by the invocation of radical humility, Essence shines forth.  All thinking, from a spiritual viewpoint, is merely vanity, illusion, and pomposity.  The less one thinks, the more delightful life becomes.  Thinkingness eventually becomes replaced by knowingness.  That one ‘is’ does not really need any thought at all.  It is helpful, therefore, to make a decision to stop mental conversation and useless babbling.

From Discovery of the Presence of God, ch. 4, pg. 88-89

The separation from the source of happiness is not only in space, but it is also in time, so it is something that is going to come into our life tomorrow, or the next day, or the next week, or the year after, or when we finally graduate, or when we reach middle age, or when we get that big house or Cadillac. Because it is always in the future, we are always separated from the source of our happiness and never feel complete. The realization that we are the source of our happiness, and that we can create it at any second, gives us a sense of completion.

… Joyfulness accompanies the experience. There is no tomorrow about it because of the sense of completion. If someone enjoys the presentation, so much the better. That is only frosting on the cake because it is not essential.

What one does in the world has to be accompanied by the sense of completion in the doing of the thing itself. The payoff is not something that is an aside, something that is outside or separate from the doingness; it is the experience of it in this moment. The completion is with the experiencing right now, not something separate from it. In that, one is then aware of the lovingness of all experience. That is the way one is with experience. It is the loving of life in all its expressions, including its disappointments. It is the ups and downs, the continual learning process of making the mistake and learning from it, so it is nothing but a mistake.

One might say that depression is nature’s way, God’s way, and our own psychology’s way of saying to us that the way we look at our life is not okay. It is our psychological, biological, and spiritual way; it is our body, mind, and spirit saying, “Look at what is out; look at what needs to be fixed. Please understand me out of your compassion; heal me; heal all of it.” The defect is an inner sense of separation that we will not be complete and whole unless we become united with something ‘out there’ or in the future. The ego moves from incomplete to complete. In contrast, the Self moves from complete to complete. True happiness is always in the ‘right now’ of this moment. The ego is always anticipating completion and satisfaction in the future “when a desire gets fulfilled.”

From Healing and Recovery p. 385-387

Q: How can one stay detached from such human catastrophes?

A: …Detachment from positionalities, and especially the positionalities occasioned by labeling, leads to serenity, freedom, and security.  Greater serenity arises from relating to the context of life rather than to the content, which is primarily a game board of interacting egos.  This broader style of relating to life leads to greater compassion and emancipation from being at the effect of the world.

It is well to keep in mind at all times that the ego/mind does not experience the world but only its own perceptions of it.  The media exploit emotionality and sensationalism in images and languaging to elicit sentimentality, or outrage, or to satisfy prurient curiosity.  When seen for what they are, these invitations to reactivity can be declined.  All life ebbs and flows.  Everyone is born, suffers afflictions, and dies.  There are happiness and sadness, catastrophe and success, increase and decrease.  The stock market rises and falls.  Diseases and accidents come and go.  The karmic dance of life unfolds in the karmic theater of the universe.

From I: Reality and Subjectivity, ch. 11, pg. 259-260

If, in Reality, there is no separate ‘this’ (me) or elsewhere ‘that’ (God), how do the illusions of the Unreal become replaced by the Real?  The way is not by acquiring even more information or knowledge about God but instead by surrendering all suppositions.  The core of devotion is humility and the willingness to surrender all belief systems and illusions of ‘I know’.

The Realization of the Presence of Divinity unfolds of its own when the ego and its perceptual positionalities are surrendered.  To ‘Know’, it is necessary to drop the limiting impairment of the illusion of knowing ‘about’.  The mind collects knowledge, facts, and mentations that are limited by context and paradigm of mentalization.  The Realization emerges from a paradigm different from the linear, conceptual mind. Thus mind is replaced by Mind.  While mind is talkative, Mind is silent and unmoving, yet do all seeming ‘things’ move within it.  In contrast, evolution appears to ordinary mind as the consequence of cause and effect because of the perceptions of form, time and change.

Thus, spiritual evolution means to move from identification with content (linear ‘mind’) to context (nonlinear Mind). Spiritual evolution in itself brings forth the transformation in the nonform of Realization, which is beyond conceptualization or languaging and instead becomes apparent and dominant without the necessity of thought.

From Discovery of the Presence of God, ch. 1, pg. 38-39

In all societies, the prudent acknowledge God, even if they personally harbor doubts or conviction. The universality of the acknowledgement of Divinity throughout time in all cultures and in all ages represents the intuitive awareness and wisdom within the collective consciousness of all of mankind…

From Discovery of the Presence of God, p. 74

This is an attitude of withdrawal of emotional entanglement in worldly affairs. It leads to serenity and peace of mind. It is supported by refusing the emotional seduction of other people’s upsets and problems. It also involves a willingness to allow the world and its affairs to work out its own problems and destiny. Reactive involvement and intervention in the world can be better left to people who have a different calling.

A ‘good person’ is one thing; enlightenment is another. One is responsible for the effort and not the result, which is up to God and the universe.

Nonattachment is not the same as indifference, withdrawal, or detachment. Misunderstanding that the development of detachment is required often ends up as flatness or apathy. In contrast, nonattachment allows full participation in life without trying to control outcomes.

From The Eye of the I p.144-145

Q: What is the most serviceable presumptive view of the world for a spiritual student/devotee/seeker?

A: Presume that the world’s actual ‘purpose’ is perfect and fully known only by God.  See it as neutral overall but with the benefit that it provides optimal opportunity for spiritual growth and the evolution of consciousness.  It is a school for enlightenment and the revelation of Divinity whereby consciousness/awareness reawakens to its Source.  Thus, to pursue enlightenment in and of itself serves the world and God.

From Discovery of the Presence of God, ch.10, pg. 168

Love emanates from the heart.  When we are in the presence of people who love each other, we pick up that energy.  The love of our loved ones, pets, and friends is the love of Divinity for us.  When we go to bed at night, we give thanks that we were surrounded with love all day.  Each moment is possible only because of love.  The writing of this book (Letting Go) is possible only because of love.

In the state of love, we wake up every morning and give thanks for another day of life, and we seek to make life better for everyone around us.  Because of the presence of love, things go better; the eggs get fried better; the ducky gets saved; the kitty gets fed; and the doggie is adopted from the pound and brought home.  We share our love with everything around us, all forms of life: kitties, doggies, other people, all living things…

From Letting Go, ch. 12, pg. 176.

Q: Is the Self the ‘I’?

A: It is difficult for the mind to understand absolute self-identity.  The mind is used to thinking in terms of a subject and a predicate in which a statement adjuncts a noun with a verb, such as beingness or is-ness or doingness.  That which has existence is already total and complete or it would not exist.  Existence does not require dependence on some other condition.  Conditional existence is therefore an illusion of the ego/mind which believes that nothing exists except as dependent on something outside itself.  Existence is self-complete and unconditional. Existence is solely by the grace of God, by Divine ordinance. (This statement verifies at calibration level 998.) Appearance reflects conditions and is therefore transitory.

From I: Reality and Subjectivity, Ch. 7, pg. 200

Great leaps in level of consciousness are always preceded by surrender of the illusion that ‘I know’. Frequently, the only way one can reach this willingness to change is when one ‘hits bottom’, that is, by running out a course of action to its end in the defeat of a futile belief system. Light cannot enter a closed box; the upside of catastrophe can be an opening to a higher level of awareness. If life is viewed as a teacher, it then becomes just that. Unless the painful lessons of life with which we deal are transformed through humility into gateways of growth and development, they are wasted.

From Power vs. Force, p. 266

 To transcend the world requires compassion and acceptance.  They are the result of inner humility by which the world is surrendered to God with increased peace of mind.  One of the most valuable spiritual tools about which, historically, little has been said is the great value of humor.  Comedy arises as a result of the comparison that is made between perception and essence, and the resolution is a consequence of the acceptance of the ambiguity.

Humor is quite different from ridicule or malice as it is compassionate in that it accepts human limitations and foibles as being intrinsic.  It therefore assists ‘wearing the world like a light garment’ and illustrates that in being like the reed that bends in the wind, one survives instead of being broken down by rigidity.

The relief of laughter via a joke expresses the pleasure at dissolution of conflict, and the capacity to laugh at oneself is essential to positive self-esteem.  To respond to everything as though it were highly important is a result of the vanity of the narcissistic core of the ego ( e.g. being ‘sensitive’ or offended’). Humor recontextualizes experiences and events and thus facilitates enjoyment without moralistic judgmentalism.  Humor evolves as philosophical acceptance and has a healing effect.  It thereby decreases suffering, conflict, and negative emotions.

From Reality, Spirituality, and Modern Man, ch. 16, pg. 312-313

Q: Much publicity is given to negative health information.

A: Much so-called health information is distorted and merely reflects a hidden political or financial agenda. It is a self-serving positionality which the naïve public believes represents objective ‘scientific’ reporting. Nothing could be farther from the truth. All supposedly scientific statements represent the exposition of a positionality. The data are selective and, more importantly, imbalanced in that only part of the story is presented, and the facts that would change the influence of the report are suppressed.

From I: Reality and Subjectivity, ch. 4, pg. 66

Q: What replaces the mind when it disappears?

A: Divine wisdom unfolds.  Consciousness/awareness remains but it is an autonomous quality or condition.  Loss of mind does not result in ‘nothingness’; on the contrary, it is replaced by Allness.  The leaf is not the tree.  It is safe to abandon any identification with what one thinks or believes one is for none of it is real, and ‘nothingness’ is purely an imagination.

From Discovery of the Presence of God, Ch. 4, pg. 86-87

Q: Is aware mind primarily a different perspective?

A: The ego conceals, whereas awareness reveals.  The answer to many defective ego positions could be subsumed in the commonly overlooked sanity of ‘common sense’.  The ego is naïve despite its pretentiousness.  It pompously demands proof of the obvious, and in doing so, it is slyly nonintegrous.  It could be best described as sophomoric in its facile solutions and self-importance.

The ego feels threatened by common sense and piously recites how society has been mistaken in the past.  In so doing, however, it does not cite examples of common sense at all but instead cites historical examples of faulty collective ego positions.

From I: Reality and Subjectivity, ch. 18, pg. 429-430

… the churches no longer emphasize sin and fear. They speak now of the God of Love.

Q: How does one transcend the opposites?

A: Consciousness does so automatically when understanding occurs through reflection, familiarity, prayer, meditation, or inspiration. It is also facilitated by the words or level of consciousness of the teacher.  What is impossible at one level of consciousness becomes obvious and simple at a higher one.  A human being is both spirit and body; therefore, it is at all times actually existing in both the linear and the nonlinear domains.  The body, unless imbued with consciousness and subjective awareness, is not aware of its own existence.  It takes action only when it is motivated and presented with value, such as the desire for enjoyment in the experience of life.

From The Eye of the I, ch. 20, pg. 386

In addition to inner-directed spiritual effort, the ‘karma yoga’ of selfless service is also supportive of the evolution of consciousness. Inner satisfaction becomes more important than worldly gain or the desire to control or influence others. Attraction replaces promotion. Eventually, resistances are no longer related to worldly life and its perceived values. Instead, the inner intention is one of purity and selflessness. Thus, evolution becomes the consequence of the process itself rather than as a consequence of seekingness or acquisition.

The reason to let go of selfishness is not because of guilt. Not because it’s a “sin.” Not because it’s “wrong.” All such motivations come from lower consciousness and self-judgment.  Rather, the reason to let go of selfishness is simply because it is impractical.  It doesn’t work.  It’s too costly.  It consumes too much energy.  It delays the accomplishment of our goals and the realization of our wants.  Because of its very nature, the small self is the creator of guilt and its self-perpetuator; that is, out of guilt we strive to accomplish and achieve success.  Then when we achieve success, we feel guilty because we have it.  There is no winning of the guilt game.  The only solution is to give it up, to let it go.

Our mind would like to make us think that guilt is laudatory, and the guilt-mongers of the world love to make an idol of it.  Which is more important: to feel guilty or to change for the better?  If somebody owes us money, would we rather they feel guilty about it or pay us the money? If we intend to feel guilty, we should at least consciously choose it instead of being unwittingly run by it.

When we move from being selfish with a small “s,” we move into being Selfish with a capital “S.”  We move from our smaller self to our greater Self.  We move from weakness to power, and from self-hatred and pettiness to lovingness and harmony.  We move from strife to ease, and from frustration to accomplishment.

From Letting Go: The Pathway of Surrender,  ch. 7, pg. 121-122

With a shift of focus from the subjective participant to the observer, one sees the narcissistic emphasis on expectations as an ego positionality that makes the individual a petulant or anger-prone person. The angry person secretly feels entitled to its wants and desires and has impossible expectations of life. Anger can also be an attitude and a vulnerable ego positionality. It leads to aggression rather than the healthier alternative of self-assertion.

The basic antidote to anger is humility, which is the counterbalance to the egotism that feeds it. The infant within the angry person rails against the unfairness of life, which is actually the perception of the petulant, spoiled child. Narcissism engenders the belief that one deserves to get what one wants, for the narcissistic core of the ego is concerned only with an inflated self-importance. When it dawns on the infant that the universe is indifferent to the ego’s wants, it goes into a rage that transposes into patterns of interpersonal conflict. Anger then becomes the futile attempt to control others who become objects to be manipulated or blamed for frustration.

From I: Reality and Subjectivity p. 196-197

Willingness supports intention and facilitates the purification process of spiritual evolution, which often requires the willingness to face inner discomfort for the sake of reaching a higher goal.  Willingness summons forth the extra energy required for the effort of overcoming obstacles and resistances.  It also requires commitment to periods of endurance to reach the higher goal.  It includes a positive attitude toward the process of learning itself and the acquisition of necessary spiritual information and commitment.  Willingness is a positive attitude as contrasted with the attitude of willfulness, which is a form of resistance.  Surrender of positionalities is a consequence of willingness and is therefore an important quality of serious inner spiritual endeavor.

From Transcending the Levels of Consciousness,  Ch. 11, pg. 212  

Acute catastrophes are the times when we make great leaps, when we face them directly and fixedly say, ‘I will not veer from this spiritual work.’ Now we are really confronted with truly spiritual work. It is not reading some pleasant-sounding phrases in a book or looking at some happy picture. Instead, we are right in the thick of it, in the teeth of it. The teeth of spiritual work occur when we are confronted with that which we cannot avoid. It is the direct confrontation that requires a leap in consciousness.

These are the golden opportunities that are priceless if we see them that way, if we are willing to be with them and say, ‘Okay’. The willingness to go with them, no matter how painful it may be, enables a giant leap in consciousness, a real advance in wisdom, knowledge, and awareness. That which we read about in the books then becomes our own inner experience.

… The trick of the mind is to not see that. It tries to change what goes on ‘out there’, tries to figure it out, and then falls back on the intellect and finds that the intellect is not going to resolve this kind of problem.

… There is the awareness in acute overwhelm that we really can handle the experiences. Part of the panic comes from the realization that what we think we are – our powerless, limited self – is no match for the power of this experience. That is precisely what is going on – the limited, individual, personal self cannot handle the overwhelm. This is the precise spiritual value of it.

From Healing and Recovery p. 250-251

Harsh viewpoints are not conducive to spiritual growth. Even if they are ‘right’ or ‘justified’, a spiritual seeker cannot afford them. One has to give up the luxury of revenge or enjoying that ‘justice has to be done’ when a supposed murderer is executed. One cannot violate basic spiritual principles without paying a price. The spiritual seeker sees through the illusions and therefore gives up the role of  judge and jury. Nobody goes ‘scot-free’, as people indignantly protest.

From Eye of the I, pg 193

A useful approach is to let the love for God replace the willfulness that is driving the seeking. One can release all desire to seek and realize that the thought that there is anything else but God is a baseless vanity. This is the same vanity that claims authorship for one’s experiences, thoughts, and actions. With reflection, it can be seen that both the body and the mind are the result of the innumerable conditions of the universe and that one is at best the witness of this concordance. Out of an unrestricted love for God arises the willingness to surrender all motives except to serve God completely. To be the servant of God becomes one’s goal rather than enlightenment. To be a perfect channel for God’s love is to surrender completely and to eliminate the goal seeking of the spiritual ego. Joy itself becomes the initiator of further spiritual work.

From  The Eye of the I p. 37

Q: How should one envision spiritual work?

A:   The process is one of discovery and is thus directed within.  It is by  influence of the Self that spiritual endeavor becomes chosen as a life goal.  It is primarily a decision.

Q: But cannot spiritual commitment and endeavor be disruptive to one’s customary lifestyle?

A: Modification is ordinarily sufficient, at least in the beginning.  Intensity of focus may bring about changes that are seen as disruptive; however, major life changes also occur as a result of lesser ambitions, such as changes in relationships, occupation, locality, illness or other life circumstances.

From Discovery of the Presence of God, ch. 9, pg. 151-152