GentleHealingTips-Year1 Archives - Page 25 of 34

Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 128, The world I see holds nothing that I want.

May 23, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

In ‘The Most Direct Means to Eternal Bliss,’ Michael Langford writes:

“54. What is the goal of [spiritual] practice? It is to bring the ego and its suffering and illusions to a final end so that only the true Self whose nature is Infinite-Eternal-Awareness-Love-Bliss remains.

“55. What is most important is already described in #54 above. …”

From there, Michael goes on to attempt to describe awakening using other symbols that might help us understand what awakening is, and I will share some of what he writes in the comments section below, but I feel we should pause and look at what he has written in #54 above first.

Today’s workbook lesson says, “Each thing you value here is but a chain that binds you to the world.” NTI Hebrews 7 says, “Can you imagine letting go completely that which you seem to value? Can you imagine closing your eyes and letting it fade completely away? If you can imagine letting it go, feeling peace and no loss in the imagining, you are preparing to wake up from dreams.”

NTI Galatians calls the world a false god. It says the world is an effective false god because it allows us to feel joined, but it teaches separation. In other words, there are things here that we can value like nature, relationships, hobbies, etc. However, none of those things are eternal and everything in the world will eventually be replaced with suffering. As Adyashanti says, two things are certain in this world: tragedy and death.

In the movie, “The Peaceful Warrior,” Dan Millman walks away from the teachings of truth because he values his life as a star gymnast who has sex with one beautiful woman after another. But then it is all taken away in a motorcycle accident where his leg is shattered. This is how he learns there is nothing worth valuing in this world, and he returns to his teacher and spiritual practice.

I recently witnessed a similar story with someone I know. He had interest in spirituality and deep mastery with part of its teachings, but when I spoke to him of disappearing into the absolute, he said the absolute wants us to enjoy the world. I knew that was a projection of his own desire to enjoy the world, and I understood his desire. He seemed to have the world in the palm of his hand. But recently, things did not appear to go so well for him. He became very frustrated with the world. Now he is focused on the direct path, awareness-watching-awareness meditation.

As recorded in the Bible at Matthew 5, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” NTI’s interpretation of that is, “Blessed are those who have tired of this world, for they will be comforted.”

One way to let go of our value in the world and increase our desire for awakening is to let tragedy strike so that we are disillusioned by the world. However, today’s workbook lesson offers a gentler solution:

“Pause and be still a little while, and see how far you rise above the world, when you release your mind from chains and let it seek the level where it finds itself at home.”

I told you that spiritual practice itself motivates me to spiritual practice. That is the gentler method that is recommended by the Course. Practice awareness-watching-awareness anyway, even if you do not think you are ready to let go of the world, and the practice itself will prepare you for awakening.

Let’s review #54 from “The Most Direct Means to Eternal Bliss.”

“What is the goal of [spiritual] practice? It is to bring the ego and its suffering and illusions to a final end so that only the true Self whose nature is Infinite-Eternal-Awareness-Love-Bliss remains.”

From ‘The Most Direct Means to Eternal Bliss’ by Michael Langford:

55. What is most important is already described in #54 above. An attempt will be made to describe the final goal further; however, such descriptions are not what is most important. The fact that when the imposter self ends, all suffering ends for all eternity and that the True Self has never had any suffering in all eternity and is always absolutely perfect love-bliss is what is most important. …

58. Describing the final Reality as Infinite-Eternal-Awareness-Love-Bliss is the closest one can come in words without straying too far from the human frame of reference.

59. In the final Reality, which is the only Reality, there are no worlds, no places, no dimensions, no universe, no realms, no forms, no time, no things, no beings and almost nothing that any word in the dictionary points towards.

60. In the final Reality, which is the only Reality, there are no humans, no animals, no planets, no stars and no earth.

61. The final Reality is infinite awareness aware of infinite awareness. In the final Reality, which is the only Reality, is infinite awareness aware of itself and itself is infinite awareness. …

66. When the ego comes to its final end, what remains is Infinite-Eternal-Awareness-Love-Bliss and nothing ever reappears. The planets, the stars, and almost everything that the words in the dictionary point towards never reappear. They were all part of the dream. Upon awakening, the dream disappears.

Comment from Regina: Based on this description, we can see why attachment to the world would keep us from awakening. That’s why it is important to see, as Adyashanti said, that only two things are certain in the world: tragedy and death. Everything here can and will be taken away. Will we wait for tragedy to propel our true interest in awakening, or will we take the gentle path by practicing awareness-watching-awareness now?

Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 127, There is no love but God's.

May 22, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

I remember the first time I read this lesson. I DID think “there is a kind of love for this, a kind for that; a way of loving one, another way of loving still another.” Back then, if a mother had told me that she loves a bug in the same way she loves her daughter, I would have either been appalled or simply unable to imagine it. But today, I am that mother.

The only reason it would be difficult to understand how a mother can love a bug in the same way she loves her daughter is because one has a misunderstanding about what love is. Don’t get me wrong. I have a more intimate relationship with my daughter, a longer-lasting relationship with my daughter, and a human-to-human relationship with my daughter. All of that is different than my relationship with a passing bug. But the love is the same.

How does one describe love? Love is openness. It could be described as embracing, accepting or allowing. It is joyous or compassionate, depending on the response that is pulled forth from it by the appearance. It has no lack in it, no need. One could say it is patient, although that is simply an aspect of its openness and allowance. Judgment is an impossibility for it. 1 Corinthians 13 is a reasonable description of love. I will post it in the comment section below for those who aren’t familiar with that scripture.

If one contemplates love deeply, one will see there are no differences in love, just as today’s Course lesson says. Therefore, a daughter and a bug are alike in the heart of love.

How does one realize love? Today’s lesson has two good pointers:

1. “Escape from every law in which you now believe. Open your mind and rest.” – Remove attention from thought and sit in awareness-watching-awareness. When you watch awareness, although you may not realize it, you watch love. Through watching it, resting in it, being nothing but it, you will become intimate with it, and you will begin to experience everything through it instead of through the mind’s interpretations.

2. “And He Himself will place a spark of truth within your mind wherever you give up a false belief…” – Begin to question your way of thinking in every way you can. Learn to see that you have made up the ideas (laws) by which you now live and judge. Drop every idea you have made up, and you make space for love to shine through.

Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 126, All that I give is given to myself

May 21, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

Today’s lesson says, “If you believed this statement, there would be no problem in complete forgiveness, certainty of goal, and sure direction. You would understand the means by which salvation comes to you, and would not hesitate to use it now.”

This is true. I know it is true, because it is exactly what happened to me. I stumbled roughly with forgiveness until the day that I truly understood ‘giving and receiving are one.’ On that day it was like a light bulb went off in my mind. In fact, I call it my “Helen Keller moment at the well.”

As you know, Helen Keller was blind and could not hear from the time she was a baby, so she had no understanding of communication. A teacher was hired to teach her sign language, but since the concept of communication was missing for Helen, sign language meant nothing. The teacher tried again and again to teach her with no results.

One day Helen threw a fit at the dinner table and threw down a pitcher of water. The teacher grabbed Helen and the pitcher and took her to the well to refill it. Once at the well, the teacher repeatedly stuck Helen’s hand under the water and then signed the symbol for water against the palm of Helen’s hand so she could feel it. Over and over she did this and then, a light bulb went off in Helen’s mind. Suddenly she understood the concept of communication. With that, signing took on meaning. She excitedly ran around the yard asking the teacher to show her the sign for this and this and this. She became a very eager student.

Well, the day I came to understand the concept of ‘giving and receiving as one’, I understood forgiveness, and I became a very eager practitioner of forgiveness.

I learned ‘giving and receiving are one’ from scribing NTI Ephesians. It was further emphasized in ‘the Code.’ It is summarized by this:

What I think, I see.
What I see, I experience.
What I experience, I think.

The best way to have your Helen Keller moment at the well is to watch. How do you feel when you judge a person or situation? How do you feel when you reject a person or a situation? How do you feel when you genuinely accept what is? How do you feel when you love what is? Can you see that you directly experience your own decision to judge, reject, accept or love? Can you see that it is never different; you always experience your own decision?

Giving and receiving are one. Therefore, to have peace, be peace. To know love, be love. And to do that, let go of any thought that does not make you happy. Just let it go. That is forgiveness.

Tips from Regina – Lesson 125, In quiet I receive God's Word today

May 20, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

Today’s lesson tells us that God/Spirit has not waited for our return to it to give its word to us. I think it is really important for us to realize that inner wisdom has always been there; we just haven’t always been listening. In fact, often we have purposefully chosen the opposite of inner wisdom.

To the degree that we are unhappy or suffering, that is to the degree that we choose the opposite of inner wisdom.

The fact above can be painful for some people to look at with absolute honesty. Some of you who are reading this today will avoid accepting that statement as true, even though it would be really helpful if you did accept it as true. That is okay. As today’s lesson says, you are not “led by force, but only love. … not judged, but only sanctified.” However, you will find happiness sooner if you can accept the statement above.

Let me give you an example. Yesterday I was listening to Byron Katie on Awakening Together Radio. She used to be severely depressed. She said during that time she heard the inner voice tell her to brush her teeth, but she didn’t want to brush her teeth. She said she went weeks, months without brushing her teeth.

As I listened to her tell the story above, I could hear how the simple wisdom, “Brush your teeth,” was a first step in moving out of her downward spiral. But what did Katie choose? For a long time she chose to continue the downward spiral. However, finally one day she realized what she was doing, and she chose to ‘brush her teeth.’ By then she was so deep into the downward spiral that she says she had to “crawl” over to the sink to brush her teeth, but she did. And that was the beginning of the way out of depression. Katie said that now she always listens to that voice no matter what it tells her to do. She is completely surrendered to it. She is also completely happy.

Many people think it is hard to hear the voice of wisdom. I don’t think that is true. I think we simply need to begin to listen to it instead of wanting to do things our own way. When today’s lesson asks us to be still, quiet, silent, so the voice can speak, it really means we need to put our mind’s will aside and be willing to follow that intuitive voice like Katie does. The more we do that, the clearer the voice becomes.

If you would like to watch the video I just wrote about, here’s the link. The part I just shared starts at about 19 minutes and 50 seconds into the video:

Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 124, Let me remember I am one with God

May 19, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

On Wednesday night of this week, we were gathered in the Awakening Together Sanctuary for the Michael Langford Study Group. We were reading from his book, “The Importance of Practice and Effort”. On page 22, Nisargadatta Maharaj and a devotee are discussing awareness-watching-awareness meditation. The devotee said, “I have tried many times and failed.”

When I read that, my first thought was, “How do you know you failed?” And this analogy came to my mind:

Where I live the internet is slower than in most towns and cities. That’s because our area is somewhat rural. When I upload an audio file, it can take several minutes. As the file is uploading, I can watch a progress bar, which shows me that 1% of the file is uploaded, 2% of the file, 3% of the file, etc. So I know the upload is making progress.

However, I don’t have a progress bar that shows my spiritual progress.

When uploading a file, if I ignored the progress bar and declared failure after 5 minutes because the file wasn’t uploaded yet, I would be wrong. It isn’t failure. It is simply in progress, but not yet complete. If I got frustrated that the file wasn’t uploaded and shutdown the computer, I would prevent additional progress.

What if we were to realize that our awakening is in progress? And then with trust in that fact, what if we continue to follow instructions so that spiritual progress can continue?

When Michael Langford was teaching me to meditate, he shared some quotes with me. These are the quotes:

“Don’t look for quick results; there may be none within your noticing.” ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj

“Don’t waste energy on thinking or evaluating how well or how badly you are doing in your meditation.” ~ Annamalai Swami

“Don’t be discouraged by the length of the journey, and don’t slacken in your efforts to get home.” ~ Annamalai Swami

“The practice is the progress.” ~ The Most Direct Means to Eternal Bliss

Compare these quotes to what today’s Course lessons says:

“Peace be to you today. Secure your peace by practicing awareness you are one with your Creator, as He is with you. Sometime today, whenever it seems best, devote a half an hour to the thought that you are one with God. … Abide with Him this half an hour. He will do the rest. Your benefit will not be less if you believe that nothing happens. You may not be ready to accept the gain today. Yet sometime, somewhere, it will come to you, nor will you fail to recognize it when it dawns with certainty upon your mind. … You will remember then the thought to which you gave this half an hour, thankfully aware no time was ever better spent.”

Nisargadatta told the devotee who thought he had failed, “Try again. … Give attention to the reality within you and it will come to light.”

Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 123 ~ I thank my Father for His gifts to me

May 18, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

NTI Luke, Chapter 17 says that gratitude “nurses your willingness to full health. Do not hold back on gratitude. Take time to sit in quiet and know your gratitude.”

NTI Hebrews, Chapter 12 says, “Worship in reverence and awe the true desire of the Heart by giving your gratitude to it. Through gratitude, [true] desire is increased.”

Last week, when reading Chapter 4 from the Direct Means to Eternal Bliss, we learned how important the intense desire for freedom is. We were told that it will bring us everything that is needed for success in the “quest for Freedom including the answer to all your questions, the Direct Path teachings, the solution to all obstacles, the motivation to practice, etc.” We were told that the intense desire for freedom will guide us to our inner Teacher. “Of all the factors that determine if you will or will not be free, the intensity or lack of intensity of your desire for Freedom is the most essential factor. Whatever you can do to most effectively increase your desire for Freedom should be done.”

And so, today we take a day of gratitude in order to increase our desire for freedom.

What should we be grateful for? Here are some things that NTI recommends we be grateful for:

~ “Be grateful for all that is true. All that is true is this: Life, Love, sharing, extension and joy.” ~ NTI Luke 24

~ “It is true that peace is cause for rejoicing and gratitude. It is through gratitude that peace is extended.” So be grateful for peace. ~ NTI 1 Thessalonians 3

~ “Be grateful for the process that is God” That is, be grateful that giving and receiving are one. “In this way, you come to know within awareness that which is God, and you come to accept and love thy Self.” ~ NTI 1 Timothy 4

~ “Teach the mind to be subject to the Heart by being grateful for the desire of the Heart. Through gratitude, desire is stretched within the mind. Let the desire for Love expand within the mind that is conscious, and the conscious mind will give more willingness to rest at the feet of the Heart.” ~ NTI Titus 2

~ “One may rejoice over progress as he notices his perception is being healed. … The transition to true perception is glory. Have gratitude for your Self and this miracle, which is the symbol of your own true desire.” ~ NTI 1 Peter 1

~ “Be grateful for reminders to rest [the thinking mind].” ~ NTI Revelation 19

~ “See all things as an opportunity to learn and to practice, and be grateful for all things. There is nothing that will be placed in your path that is not a gift from Me. See it as your gift and you are blessed indeed.” ~ NTI Luke 9

So today, let’s take time to be grateful as we increase our desire for Freedom.

Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 122 ~ Forgiveness offers everything I want

May 17, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

What do you think you want? Today is a good opportunity to look and uncover the world-based ‘wants’ that are driving you. Consider writing down everything you think you want, and then ask ‘why.’ Look deeply at your wants until you discover what you really, really want. After you’ve done that, read today’s lesson again.

“Do you want peace? Forgiveness offers it. Do you want happiness, a quiet mind, a certainty of purpose, and a sense of worth and beauty that transcends the world? Do you want care and safety, and the warmth of sure protection always? Do you want a quietness that cannot be disturbed, a gentleness that never can be hurt, a deep abiding comfort, and a rest so perfect it can never be upset? All this forgiveness offers you, and more.”

It’s interesting that this lesson should come to us right after we have watched Michael Singer’s interview about his personal “surrender experiment.” Are we ready for our own surrender experiment?

Are we ready to let go of trying to get what we want? Are we ready to let the universe bring what it will? Are we ready to embrace anything and everything that comes while letting go of all dissenting chatter that arises in our minds?

Are we ready?

Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 121 ~ Forgiveness is the key to happiness

May 16, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

Today’s workbook lesson describes the ego mind. This mind, as described in the lesson, may be more or less conscious for you now. You may be well aware of being torn with doubt, confused, afraid and angry, weak, blustering, afraid to go ahead, afraid to stay, afraid of every sound, yet more afraid of stillness; seeing only sin; wanting to live, yet wishing to die.

When this mind is conscious and believed, the experience is hell. When it is repressed, there is some relief, but it also breaks through into consciousness in a distorted way, projecting blame for our uneasiness away from our self. Freedom comes from the death of this mind, the end of this way of thinking.

Today’s workbook lesson says of the ego mind, “It does not ask, because it thinks it knows. It does not question, certain it is right.” The lesson also says that we learn forgiveness “from a Teacher other than yourself, Who represents the other Self in you.”

It is time for us to begin asking within for understanding and guidance. If we are to find freedom, we need to let the teacher who knows the way take the lead.

The ego mind does not ask, because it thinks it knows. Therefore, we will ask. We will not come from ego. We will accept that we do not know, and we will ask. I encourage you to take time at least 1-3 times a week to sit quietly and ask within for whatever you need to see or realize now. Leave the question open, and let the genuine answer come.

Here is how I asked the question today, and the answer I received. Notice the first question I asked was, “What shall I ask,” so that even the questions that followed were guided by the inner teacher.

Regina’s personal journaling from today:

What shall I ask? How can I be myself? What is absolutely the best practice for me now?

Slow attention. Rushed attention goes in habitual directions. Even some old habits are being reborn. You feel the disconnect even though you don’t believe it like you did before. Funny how something untrue can be experienced.

Truth can be realized and blocked simultaneously. This has happened millions upon millions of times before. The ego does not give up easily, so as one nears the threshold some distraction is found, and off attention goes in the wrong direction. The memory of nearness lingers, the clarity it brought remains, and yet there is a feeing of being separate too.

Your weakness is busyness, and it comes from wanting to please everyone, to meet all demands. It is time to put personal awakening back in the forefront and let go of the wish to make others happy.

The master does nothing and yet nothing goes undone. Relinquish all mental doing, and watch what gets done.

The other thing to watch is desire. As the feeling of separation increases, desires increase. As the feeling of separation dies, desires die. When you notice yourself desiring outside of yourself, realize that is only a distortion of your calling for God, and return instead to your one true desire.

Be slow. This is your prescription now. When you notice going fast, slow down.

Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 120 ~ Review of Lessons 109 & 110

May 15, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

How to Contemplate, conclusion:

In summary, here are the keys to contemplation.

• When you contemplate the written word, read slowly and repeatedly with long silent pauses.

• Toss out your beliefs, preferences and all prior knowledge as you enter the sacred ground of contemplation.

• Listen or feel inwardly for some stirring that might be the birth of insight.

• Be like an explorer and follow what comes to see where it goes.

• Use inquiry to invite wisdom. Even “What does this mean for me?” can invite powerful personal insights.

• Reserve judgment and let the value of the contemplative experience reveal itself in its own time.

• Receive your daily bread with gratitude no matter how simple it may appear to be. Review it and practice it throughout the day. It is a step on your own personal stairway to heaven.

Regina’s Personal Contemplation of Lesson 120:

I rest in God. I rest in God and truth reestablishes itself in my mind. The gift I give is rest, rest from the overactive maze of thought, rest in the stillness of presence, openness and trust. The gift I receive is truth realization.

I am as God created me. What am I? What is changeless? What is always here? What is looking?

Tips from Regina ~ Lesson 119 ~ Review of Lessons 107 & 108

May 14, 2017 By Dawn Fernandez

How to Contemplate, continued:

As with all things spiritual, the best way to learn contemplation is to learn from yourself. Therefore, for today’s tip I’d like to share some of my favorite quotes on contemplation. As you contemplate these quotes, you learn how to contemplate through contemplation:

Abandon the words but remain established in the experience of the truth they indicate. That supreme state is beyond all concepts. ~ Yoga Vasistha

Contemplation is the art of holding a word or a phrase patiently in the silence and stillness of awareness until it begins to disclose deeper and deeper meanings and understandings. Contemplation has the power to transcend beyond the limits of analytical thought and logic, and open consciousness up to an order of wisdom and Truth that can only be described as revelation. ~ Adyashanti

The words are no more than signposts. That to which they point is not to be found within the realm of thought, but a dimension within yourself that is deeper and infinitely vaster than thought. A vibrantly alive peace is one of the characteristics of that dimension, so whenever you feel inner peace arising as you read, the [written word] is doing its work fulfilling its function as your teacher; it is reminding you of who you are and pointing the way back home. … Allow [it] to do its work, to awaken you from the old grooves of your repetitive and conditioned thinking. ~ Eckhart Tolle

Your contemplation has to be a naked contemplation that does not rely on any luggage from the past, a contemplation that does not rely on learned beliefs and past feelings. ~ Magdi Em Be

To bring the attention to a single point and to dwell on that single point for a very long time is the way to awaken insight. Insight is not thinking and insight is not belief. Insight is a permanent new perspective. ~ Michael Langford

Regina’s Personal Contemplation of Lesson 119:

Truth will correct all errors in my mind. I don’t have to do anything but stay out of the maze of thought. This is the advantage of meditation, loving all and forgiveness. During meditation I sit in awareness-watching-awareness outside of the maze of thought, and truth quietly corrects the errors in my mind. With loving all I stand lovingly back from the mind’s judgments about how things should be, and truth corrects the errors in my mind. With forgiveness I rest away from anything that I recognize as ego thinking, and truth goes to work correcting the errors in my mind. I get out of the way, and truth corrects all errors in my mind. How does truth correct all errors? Simply by being the truth. Take away the attention on non-truth and truth reestablishes itself, just as nature would fully reestablish itself if humans disappeared from earth.

To give and to receive are one in truth. This is the snowball effect. What I be, I gain. As I live up to the highest light I have, more light is given. As I do my best, my best gets better. As I be as egoless as I can be today, more ego is erased from my mind. As I abide in truth, truth is more deeply realized.