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Most Essential Truths For Happiness
(As I see it, anyway)
After I was on my personal journey to self-discovery for awhile, and had by that time read many books and articles, I began thinking to myself at certain points that this or that idea is the ultimate key to all of it. My personal intent has always been to boil "it" all down to its most essential form--to make it as simple as possible. Eternal truths are eternal truths. They aren't mine. When it comes right down to it, it's not so much a matter of identifying some Truths as more essential than others as much as it is that they've been thrown into a pile with countless other ideas, and, it's difficult to sort through and find them. When discovered, like a lost treasure, they sometimes have a lot of debris clinging to them. So I am finding the ones that mean the most to me, cleaning away the debris and presenting them the way I would display them. Admittedly, other people might have different ideas in doing this and their display would not look the same as mine.
It seems to me that Truth is simple. Yet, over the millennia, there has been so much written and preached about Truth, so many different parables and stories, so many variations, so many attempts to distort it, that many find themselves confused in trying to ferret out the key points. To see what I mean, just take a browse around the self-help, psychology, philosophy and religion sections of the major bookstores or in metaphysical/new age bookstores. You will find an array of specific subjects that is almost overwhelming. While our inner guidance, if we are good at listening, will lead us to what is right for us, many seekers aren't that attuned. Many don't know where to begin. This is one of the things that makes the search for Truth seem so complicated. Which is the right path to follow? This is the question that spurs my desire to present what I regard as the most essential truths.
This cleaning away of the debris could also be analogous to a sculptress chipping away all of the non-essential to reveal the final form. The analogy is not perfect, for in the case of the sculptress, she is creating something unique. In my case, truth already exists within; I haven't created it, but rather am trying to get to its essence.
Nothing I say in a book or article on universal eternal truths is new. It's important to remember that we all have access to Infinite Wisdom. Truth lies within. Most of us, caught up in our daily lives, aren't in touch with that fact. We aren't practiced in accessing our inner wisdom. When you begin seeking truth, the universe responds, often in the form of an experience or a person, a book, an article, a tape that a friend gives you, a seminar, etc. The particular form in which answers are revealed are determined by you. In other words, the universe provides you answers in a form that you can accept. These forms are really echoes of the wisdom within you which you are now beginning to hear -- simply your internal wisdom manifesting in a form meaningful to you.
And so, any books that have had real meaning for me on my journey, have come to me as a result of the universe answering in a way that I could accept. It can also be stated that I drew them to me. I have also picked up many more books, articles, tapes, etc that I quickly discovered did not resonate with me, were not comfortable and did not seem to answer the questions I was seeking answers to. Those, I discarded. Many other seekers, meanwhile, probably found those same forms most meaningful to them. This same dynamic is true for you. The only thing I do, is express in a way that is easily understandable for those who find what I say effective, meaningful and comfortable to them. That presumably will not be everyone. What will be most effective in revealing clarity for others will be something from some other source and in some other form. If you find truth in these articles, it isn't me speaking; it's you (your inner self) hearing the one voice--for there is only one of us here.
With that said, let me now state what I consider to be a couple of the most essential and powerful things for most of us to become clear about. In other articles in this site, I discuss other Truths.
Let's get on with it! Be/aware delaying your happiness until you have completed the next book or the next seminar. Begin happiness now. That is the whole point of everything that the great masters have been trying to tell us. Be! We can't chase it as though it were something outside of us. We must just make a choice to be happy now. Staking our happiness on all of the things and conditions out there that we imagine will make us happy is a futile waste of energy. You can have great fun and adventure playing with all the things out there and that's as it's supposed to be. BUT THE THINGS AND CONDITIONS DON'T COME FROM OUT THERE; THEY COME FROM WITHIN. All of the stuff out there becomes accessible to you once you break your attachment to thinking that you NEED them as a condition of your happiness. The universe is trying to tell us that we don't need to attach to anything out there since they are not the source; they are the effect. THE SOURCE IS WITHIN.
So while you are on your journey to enlightenment, you may as well be happy now because you won't find it by delaying until some condition is attained. I will remind you again, enlightenment is an evolutionary process that continues beyond this particular life experience. So stop delaying happiness in this one. It's a waste of life. Let's get on with being joyful now, then we'll be in a position of ease which opens us up to hearing our inner voice. In that attunement, we will be more likely to know what action to take--the right, perfect action. Besides, what we will find as we discover truth is that we were supposed to be happy now.
I have said that the ideal seminar would be one that could be considered the last seminar the participants would think they needed. By that, I don't mean it in the sense that it would be the definitive seminar but rather in the sense that it would help them to be convinced that: (a) all that they ever need is within them, and, (b) that taking another seminar before they can attain happiness will not be the final answer; deciding to be happy first, is. Then they can take seminars for a more conscious reason--because they enjoy it and are drawn to it as a direction from inner guidance.
Be/aware the delay trap. We can study metaphysics until the cows come home but it's all for naught lest we apply it. We can study all the factors involved in learning to ride a bicycle--motion, inertia, balance, gravity, design, posture, etc. but we will never learn to actually ride one until we do it. And we will never learn to do it by putting it off until we read another book or attend another lecture. Decide to make your primary intent, happiness now. Begin practicing it now.
Break Attachment
Over the years of my journey, I have come across a number of articles that discussed the metaphysical meanings of many of the stories of the Bible and other sacred texts. I have also seen metaphysical interpretations of the Ten Commandments. The literal interpretations of these writings have never resonated as truth to me, so I suppose it's no surprise that the metaphysical ones have.
One of the stories that had immediately become most meaningful to me, the first time I read of its metaphysical meaning was the one about Daniel and the lion's den. Daniel knew he was going to be cast into the den with the hungry lion. The lion represents what we fear. But Daniel prayed before hand, visualizing not what he feared but what he wanted. When he was put into the den, he turned his back to the lion. This represents turning our focus away from what we fear, turning the problem, in total trust, over to God. When the lion was released (according to the metaphysical account), it simply fell asleep rather than attacking Daniel. The idea is that the problem simply falls away, resolves itself, once we turn it over to the universe in total trust. Just as we don't know how to solve our problems ourselves (our ego selves) with our limited perspective of the world, Daniel knew he did not know how to defeat the lion, unarmed, face to face, through mere physical effort alone. He detached from the problem and turned it over to the spirit within. This story is to teach us about detachment from our problems. We aren't responsible for solving our own problems; we are however responsible for turning them over to Holy Spirit (a metaphysical term for the universe). This story for me is an incredibly powerful reminder of a most powerful truth.
So this idea of detachment is one of the essentials to me. We must break our attachments to our fears. If we don't, we continue to struggle with them. When we're in struggle, we cannot be happy. We must finally realize that when we resist what we fear, we simply create more of it. Attachment is usually associated with some pain, the purpose of which is to get our attention, so that we will recognize it. We have fear that we will be abandoned by someone and the thoughts of the potential abandonment are painful. We are terrified that we cannot survive without the person in whose hands we have placed our sense of security. The pain is to bring us to the awareness that we can trust in the universe rather than someone or something or some condition outside of us.
It is our attachment to these outside things that are the cause of our pain. The universe is always trying to lead us back to correction--the Truth that everything emanates from our Source (within). Our belief that we need these outside things for our survival is an error. It is a false belief. We fear breaking our attachment. We think we will face disaster without them, when in truth, we will surely experience what we fear unless we are willing to give up the attachment. I can assure you that you will not win going against Truth and the incontrovertible laws of the universe, but you will truly experience heaven when you turn to the Source of All That Is. The Source is within--not out there. It will provide for you everything and more that you need to do your work here in comfort and ease. When you drop resistance and attachment, ease is the result. Ease brings ease.
Now can you
see why I say that these are essentials? They are also related.
All of the Truths are related; that's one of things that makes
them seem more complex and voluminous than they are. Don't delay.
Stop resisting; drop your attachments to fear now. What else
do you need to know?
Copyright
© March, 2001-2006, William Gunderson,
All Rights Reserved
No part of this article may be reproduced for distribution
without the express permission and consent of the author. To
obtain permission, contact the author via email.
Renewal Momentum Message
RRecently, I went
to speak to a group of wonderfully open, loving and interesting
fellow travelers. One of the members wrote me a couple of days
later to ask a question regarding the subject of a one-on-one
conversation we were having in the car after the meeting. It
had to do with the frustration that she often felt, as most of
us do (or at times have), when we seem not to be able to bring
our desires into manifestation.
In my reply to her, I offered some thoughts and then suggested an assignment. After I sent the reply off to her, it occurred to me that it might be a good idea to offer it to others as well. It seemed a fitting proposal to launch us into the New Year.
First let me bring you up to speed on the subject of the conversation. It has to do with learning to bring into our experience the manifestation of our ardent desires through the process of aligning our thoughts with the infinite power of the universe (or ultimate source). When we are beginning to learn about and accept this powerful principle, we seem to experience a period of frustration because we aren't yet very adept at operating in this new way. What I mean by a new way is that we are learning to create more with our mind and less with hands on effort. Of course that doesn't mean that we won't be taking action. It's just that the actions we will take will be guided more from our inner wisdom and less from the wisdom of the world (conventional wisdom).
As we discover, the fact that we become frustrated places us in an even more perplexing and difficult situation because it can easily lead to the "viscious cycle" syndrome. In other words, the energy of frustration and the anger that accompanies it, is contrary to the energy that will allow manifestation to occur. This only results in greater frustration...and on it goes.
This new way of operating requires that we make some dramatic changes in how we maneuver. One of the most significant changes is that we must change from the mode of, "seeing, then believing" as we have been trained to do, to the mode of operation of the spirit, which is "believing before seeing". This is the way that is consistent with Ultimate Truth. We always get what we think. The problem is that we aren't conscious of what we are thinking. For example, we may think of a new car that we would like, but if you really examine the thoughts, they are something like, "There is no way I can afford a car like that. I don't deserve a car like that. How could I ever get a car like that?" Etc.
So what we must do is somewhat like a pilot learning to fly with instruments only. In training, she goes under a hood where all outside visual reference is blocked and all she can see is the instrument panel. She must learn to put total trust in the instruments. This takes some doing because the hands on way of behaving is so ingrained. We are so used to operating by using our bodies and our five senses in such specific and limited ways that it seems very clumsy and cumberson to switch over to using the power of our minds to operate. Yet, this is what we must do. You must begin to trust in the absolute intent of the universe to bring to you everything you desire. That requires that you know you are worthy and deserving of the best.
That is the
background that provides the context for my reply to the person
who was in this state of frustration. Here is what I offered
to her. It includes an assignment to break out of this cycle.
*******************
I know exactly what you were saying when you said that you were
so frustrated that sometimes you wanted to say it's all a bunch
of BS that doesn't work and at those times you hate the universe.
Ah yes, I have been there--as most of us have. By "us",
I mean seekers. Those who aren't seekers are also experiencing
that very same frustration but they just accept it as, "that's
the way life is". They aren't yet aware of the fact that
they can be in control of their experiences. For us, we are learning
that we are creating our experiences; but since we have been
doing it with the earth bound methods for so long, we are having
difficulty adjusting to the ways of spirit. This is all part
of the trip of coming into this physical format.
So the first thing to keep upper most in your mind is that no matter how enraged we get, we cannot change the fact that the way the universe works is that our thoughts create our experience. The principle is immutable. Besides when you were operating in ignorance of this fact (before you began seeking) you may not have been doing any better anyway. Although, I will admit that when we are younger and so excited about life, we really are focusing quite better on what we want and often believe that things pretty much turn out the way we hope. Although we may have been in ignorance of conscious creation, still, we were working in accordance with the way the universe works--and that's all that counts. As we grow older however, often we begin to lose a lot of that sort of confidence and life seems to become more difficult as we have to take on more responsibilities and deal with jobs and bosses and bills and marriage relationships and parenting, etc.
My point is, though, that you probably began seeking, as most of us did, because it began to seem that you were less and less able to get life to be the way you wanted it to be. We knew we weren't really living happy, fulfilled lives. So now we began to learn about these new (to us) ideas (or ultimate truths). Well, guess what; there's no turning back now. Truth is truth. But really this is a reason to rejoice and we will get to that.
Meanwhile, just know that to get angry and try to return to the old ways will not work. You have no idea how much I relate to this anger about not being able to manifest. I can sympathize with the idea that it seems so cruel. So what to do now to get over this bugaboo?
First, understand this. You get angry because you can't seem to call into that radio station and win that new car contest, though you really, really desire it. We experience this disappointment when we don't win the car which says to us that the principle doesn't work. But what it says to the universe is, Elizabeth believes that winning the car is the thing that will make her happy. She is attaching her happiness to that item. She does not believe that the universe has her happiness as it's foremost intent. Let's help Liz by providing her with more signs that she can come to know this truth. We want Liz to attach to the truth that the universe is willingly eager to provide, and that her joy should be in that. At this time, Elizabeth is not knowing that the universe has so much more available for her than this insignificant little item. It is the universe's intent that she should know this so that she can allow to flow to her, her desires to live in joy every moment.
Remember how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. It's another facet of the idea that it just seems so cruel, that is until you understand what's going on. You see, it's all in this idea of what we believe about how things go for us. When things haven't been such that riches have been pouring to us, then we get into that flow that they won't and so they don't. When we have them flowing to us, then it is easier to stay in that flow. What we want to do is just stop for a moment and re-orient.
SO HERE IS
MY SUGGESTION:
For the next three weeks, forget all about any particular
items that you desire and focus instead upon this one idea: Everything
is perfect, all is well and only good flows to me. Now this is
the most important part--even when things occur that would seem
to be a reason for frustration, don't go there. Instead, just
say it is all part of all being well and the universe knows what
it's about, though it may not be apparent to me. No matter how
much I want to judge it as "crappy", the universe has
great wisdom and so it is perfect. I will just go with the universe's
intents on this. Then, don't be afraid to ask the Holy Spirit
what it's about.
You will, during this three weeks, be breaking attachment and as you do so, you will more and more be allowing the universe to flow to you what you desire. Also, you will be developing the habit of being happy now, which is exactly what the universe wants you to do. The universe is always bringing to you the message that all of the sages and masters have been telling us. Detach from judging what comes into your experience and instead observe, and ask what it means if you don't understand why it has come. As you finally come to the point where detachment is your habit, you will attain greater peace of mind and a sense of ease. You will be living with greater joy. (Breaking attachment does not mean giving up desire.) Then miraculously, you begin to discover that from this position of detachment, you are better able to bring into manifestation that which you desire. You see, attachment and desperation become like chasing one end of a magnet with the repelling end of another.
Consider this. The person who is getting richer by hardly doing anything other than enjoying life has no resistance energy going on--at least in that area of her life. She is just being happy in the moment and the universe is just flowing to her more of that. Now here is your bugaboo. You think that it is easy for her because it's easy to be happy when your circumstances are abundant. You say, who couldn't be happy under those circumstances? But here's the deal. It's not the circumstances; it's the judgment of them, or, in other words, your "reaction" to them. All you have to do is begin right now judging your circumstances and everything that happens as "cool" and perfect no matter what. No matter what happens, begin attaching (or reacting), "That's cool!" to events. Soon this will change the energy flow where you will begin to be more and more like that fortunate little lady over there you are observing, who is living ever more abundantly by the moment. What it comes down to is that old thing that you must make a decision to be happy first and "act as if". It is the only way...because it's just the way the universe works. And this three week assignment is the best way to break out of the cycle of frustration and into that mode.
Imagine starting
right now and having some good momentum going as we move into
the new year-and then just having a great new perspective for
this exciting new year. Let's do it: Three weeks where all is
well. By the end of that time, the momentum will carry us. By
the way, if you find yourself falling off the horse (it will
be no surprise if you do--that's cool), don't worry about it.
Remember, be easy on yourself, LOVE YOURSELF under all
circumstances. Just forget about any clumsy stumbles. Stumbles
happen whenever we try to learn new skills. There is no accumulation
of failure. Just get back up and keep on going, undeterred. Remember,
when you catch yourself like this, this is a very good sign of
increasing awareness.
Have a Great Holiday and exciting New Year.
Copyright ©,
2002-2006, William Gunderson
All Rights Reserved
No
part of this article may be reproduced for distribution without
the express permission and consent of the author. To obtain permission,
contact the author via email.