People often resist surrender, because they believe that in surrender they sacrifice something. As today’s reading points out, that resistance “comes from the delusion that you are what you are not.”
In NTI 1 Corinthians 1, we were told that the “ego is still within your mind, and it may seem to persist for some time.” The ego is the idea and feeling of ‘me.’ As long as the idea and feeling of ‘me’ persists, surrender will be resisted to one degree or another. If we expect perfect surrender from ourselves before we are fully ready, we create another opportunity for self-judgment. The ‘I am bad’ belief endures through self-judgment.
It is best to see ourselves as learning surrender. It is natural to make mistakes in the process of learning. Children fall when learning to walk. Pianists hit the wrong keys when learning to play piano. Etcetera.
We do not need to judge ourselves for our mistakes, but we can use them to enhance our learning.
In a recent contemplation with inner spiritual wisdom, Teresa from Northern Ireland wrote:
When I worked as a teacher, I would demonstrate a new mathematical process to the children on the blackboard. They appeared to understand, but it was only when they started making mistakes, when asked to complete some exercises by themselves, that they realised where they were going wrong. That’s like me. I think I understand while I am reading, etc. but the rubber only hits the road when I’m in my daily living.
Inner wisdom responded:
You can view your life in the world as those little children doing their mathematics. Learning from their mistakes is the only way they are going to have success. Then they have to practise, practise, practise in order to become unconsciously competent.
Just like children who are learning math turn to their teacher for help when they make mistakes, we can turn to the inner teacher for help when we make mistakes. The inner teacher will help us see the mistake with clarity and help us see the correction without judgment. That is how children learn math, and that is how we learn to be the empty shell. Today’s reading says:
Therefore, when you believe you have made a mistake, turn to Me. Ask Me to use your perception for your learning. In this way, you open yourself for another thought of Mine to be revealed.
Every time we turn to inner spiritual wisdom, we receive spiritual wisdom, and that is how we learn.
You are becoming skilled at going within and receiving wisdom. Be willing to use that skill to look at your mistakes. If you do, you will receive insight that is specifically and directly helpful to you.
Thoughts of Awakening # 163
Guidance comes from love.
It rises up
like a free-floating flow.
In this way,
guidance shares the characteristics
of the love from which it comes.
A free-floating flow can be blocked,
because a free-floating flow
does not force.
Your role,
if you are to know the guidance that comes from love,
is to remove the obstructions
that would block it.
Judgment is an obstruction.
You cannot know
the guidance of love
if you cling to
the obstruction of judgment.
~From our Holy Spirit
Homework for this week
- Practice daily meditation for 30-60 minutes each day.
- Practice the “Loving All” Method.
- Thoughts of Awakening, 162-168
- Read NTI 1 Corinthians 3-9
- The reading shared on Tuesday night was from The Transparency of Things by Rupert Spira, 178-184, The True Dreamer (completed)
- Exercise: Tune in and notice, from time to time, it’s now and I’m here. Go about your day to day activities, they may change but notice… it is always now and you are always here. When you notice that, you are actually noticing the self in a different way. The timeless, placeless presence.