For many beginning seekers (simply those who have recently made a decision to engage in a journey of self-discovery), the desire to begin doing what they love is strong. At the same time, because of prior negative conditioning, they may have feelings of unworthiness. They may feel that there is no possibility of their ever being able to attain their dreams. Having never experienced encouragement from others, always being told about the limitations of life rather than the infinite possibilities, they are unsure of themselves. This is the story for most on earth. While this may be true however, that does not mean that life is cruel. It's simply a fact of life that to a large degree, we come to know ourselves through the process of discovering how we can best contribute. Part of how we do that is by reminding and assuring each other of our true magnificence.
There is a simple but powerful thing we can all do. Let me provide some background. At some point, I began to realize that I knew of a lot of unhappy people who seemed to me to not have any obvious obstacles to happiness. In other words, they seemed to have careers and steady incomes, nice homes, families and friends, health and stability. I would ask myself, so what's the problem? Granted, I didn't know all of these people intimately enough to have personal discussions with them about their unhappiness. I knew what my own problems were (if not the solutions) but I couldn't see anything that would prevent these other people from being happy. At times when I did have opportunities to have discussions that would provide me with some insight into their unhappiness, it seemed to me that they were making mountains out of molehills. It seemed they were catastrophizing. Then, "boingo", it occurred to me that they quite likely looked upon me the same way. That realization was rather awakening and quickly led to an insight that struck like a lightening bolt. It's the old saw that WE CAN'T SEE THE FOREST FOR ALL THE BLOODY TREES.
We all have these problems that are problems specifically because we have blocks in those areas. We have difficulty seeing where our own screwy little fears, attachments and faulty thinking patterns are getting in the way of our happiness. We think of these as each other's neurotic patterns. I can see yours but not my own; you can see mine but not your own. Now as small as other's blocks may seem to us, to the person who has them, they can create major havoc, pain and misery in their lives. We chose the circumstances, before entering this episode of physicality, that would provide us the best illusion of limitation with which to work. Some of us are fabulous creators and did a bang-up job of drawing up the "foolproof" plan. In fact, we do it so well that we sometimes spend huge parts of our lives trying to figure out who we are. It's sort of like coming up with a great puzzle or a charade to stump the guests at the party--only in this case, you (your higher non-physical self) is planning to stump you, your next incarnate self. You are doing this because it's part of the plan. This seeming struggle to once again know who we really are, is the best way to accomplish our evolution in consciousness.
Now an important part of this scheme is for us to develop compassion and become engaged in loving relationships with one another. We can best do that by assisting each other in discovering who we are. So when we find ourselves asking about someone else's confusion, "What is the problem here; I don't see it?", it means that we are in a powerful place to help. Why? Well, because our not being able to see where there is a problem means that we have a sense of ease in that particular area. We don't have that particular block, so we don't have problems in that area. And that, in turn means that we can assist the person with the problem to see through her illusion.
Because each of us is totally unique, we all have the ability to assist others in this way. Let me interject a very important note here. When I say "we" can all assist each other, that presupposes that the "we" are all conscious seekers of truth. In other words, we don't run around sticking our noses into people's lives who will not be receptive. Not everyone can be helped--not because they are beyond it but rather because they're not open to receiving it. There is the old saw in the teachings of metaphysics that when the student is ready, the master will appear. For someone whose awareness is still limited to current undesirable conditions, who is convinced of his unworthiness, material assistance will do little long term good and encouragement and mentoring will not be easily accepted. As miserable as she may be in her problems, she will be resistant to understanding her errors in thinking. She will not be allowing enough to "get it". Remember, we can't fix each other. That is contrary to the principle of free will.
All we can do is be sources of understanding to those who are seeking answers. And for any of us who desire answers, we must ask. Only when we ask, does the universe answer. And so we are all in the position of being both students and teachers to each other. This is the way it was meant to be. When you are in need of an answer, the universe will often provide it through a fellow teacher. All you need do is watch for the answer (the teacher) to appear. When the universe wants to use you as a teacher to someone else, you will feel the call. The nice thing about being a conscious seeker is that you carry an energy that attracts other conscious seekers. Fellow conscious seekers will not be shy in asking for clarity and also will not be offended by those who offer it.
Practically speaking, we can provide material assistance to help a struggling seeker; and in some cases, that's fine. But what's really needed is encouragement, upliftment. Become the angel (vehicle) through which the universe can work. We each have our strengths, meaning areas in which we have a real sense of ease and confidence. In those areas we never struggle. We don't have fears and so we aren't attracting lack and limitation in those areas. In some cases, we have gained mastery by having faced our fears and let go of the associated attachments. That places us in a wonderful position to teach others who are experiencing difficulty in that area. This is the basis for all support groups. It is past alcoholics who are in a position to assist others struggling with that problem. The person who has overcome a physical disability, is a good candidate to help and encourage others who are dealing with similar disabilities. Presumptively, those attending such support groups are seeking help in those areas.
Where we are strong, we need to help others who are seeking the light. We must assist them in seeing the errors in thinking that are causing the blocks. If successful in business, we should joyfully be a mentor to others. The universe is providing you with ample students if you but look around. You can assist with networking contacts and recommendations, because the person in need is having difficulty in recognizing them. This mentoring should be applied to all areas of life. The High School coach helps the athlete to discover and develop and become confident in his natural abilities. The person with health problems can be helped by those with a consciousness of health.
A Story Illustrating The Need For
Consciousness Sharing
To a great extent, the teachings of intentional creation tell us to get into a state where we can feel as though we would when we have already attained that which we desire. One of the difficulties that we often experience in this regard is that we don't have any prior experience of these feelings upon which to draw.
For example, I know of someone who was stuck in the area of money (hardly extraordinary). I should state right off that this person was on a very active journey of self-discovery, i.e., extremely receptive to assistance. He had cut himself off from being able to attract any money into his life. Debts accumulated which only seemed to reinforce the idea. This person, who I will call Josh, had within one part of his life, a peer who had a great flow of abundance. It happened to be that this person had been involved in many areas of metaphysics-especially that of intentional creation. (This person's abundance, however, was already a long time reality prior to her interest in intentional creation).
In her attempt to help her friend Josh, she continually told him that he was thinking and reasoning too much. This sort of rationalization is a very common male tendency. The friend told him frequently that he should just stop the reasoning and get into the "feeling state". This is good advice as far as it goes. But it brings us back to the difficulty we described earlier. While Josh desired to comply with these instructions, he found it difficult to maintain that feeling state. He had great difficulty turning his focus away from the problem. This would result in anger and resentment--leading to further feelings of failure, of being cut off from Ultimate Source. As you can imagine, this was counterproductive to the attainment of his desires.
He often wished that he had someone who could guide him in attaining the feeling state--to help ease him toward it. While the intentions of the teacher in this example were correct, the method of simply trying to order the student to reach a feeling state was not an approach that could work. To some extent, the error the teacher was making was a result of her inability to empathize with the position of the student, having not been there herself. (Just a reminder here not to confuse empathy with sympathy. Empathy is to identify with or experience the feelings, thoughts or attitudes of another person.)
This is an example of where a teacher who has already mastered a particular problem is invaluable. He knows the struggles that the person is experiencing. This is also the perfect scenario for consciousness sharing. In our example, Josh had excessive terror about not having any money flow. As the bills mounted, the fear only increased. The fears, though real to him, would be seen as unrealistic to someone who has a sense of ease in that area.
So what would really have been helpful to our friend Josh would have been a little hand holding to assist him in facing his fears. Understanding that he has blocks that were preventing him from recognizing opportunities, he could have used some guidance in that area. Being guided toward these opportunities would bolster his confidence. He could have used frequent reminders about his own magnificence as a powerful expression of Infinite Mind and that as such, he was not really denied what he desires. In his terror, he could not see these truths about himself. He needed to be repeatedly reminded that the universe never denies him, that he is never alone, that the universe is always supporting and providing. He needed to be gently and repeatedly reminded that it was his own fixation upon the problem that was attracting it to him. He would have been most receptive to this sort of consciousness sharing. And this sort of supportive mentoring would have been far more effective than the chastising and scolding input he was receiving about his focus on fear.
It is quite common that an individual has no prior experience upon which to base his feelings of what he desires. He can't return to a feeling state that he never experienced to begin with. This is another area where we can share our consciousness. We can describe our sense of ease about abundance or health to those who have had a long- term lack in those areas. We can demonstrate that it really is no big deal, that it is only their illusion that they are unworthy in that area that makes it seem so. When we engage in consciousness sharing, we are far removed from the thinking of mass consciousness. Those who go along with beliefs in limitation will always be more than willing to agree that the limited condition is just the way the world is and will eagerly join the suffering individual in his pain and his powerlessness.
So consciousness
sharing is taking on the role of teacher to others, as well as
being a receptive student in the areas where you have your own
blocks. This is very consistent with our purpose here. We have
come to contribute by giving from our strengths. We have come
to advance consciousness.
Read an expanded article on the CS concept and a description of the actual group experience: Consciousness Sharing / The Groups
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2001-2006, William Gunderson
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