(The first in a series of excerpts taken from chapter seventeen: A Dialogue on Spiritual Enlightenment—written in a Q&A format.)
Q; What’s the “hitting bottom experience” and how does it happen?
A; From one perspective viewpoint, it can come about as the result of having lost everything in the material world. It is to be broken down by adversity to absolutely the bottom. It can also come about as the result of intensified Blocks, (pain in childhood and life) to a point at which one can no longer take the pain of unconsciousness, and surrenders to what is. Out of this will come many great opportunities for real change, through Self-awareness. All of the Blocks of the egoic mind are removed, by virtue of the devastation of the hitting bottom experience, allowing loving honest self-observation. This creates possibilities for us to see the self. The egoic self through the new eyes of the real Self. This can foster an awakening to the love and bliss of Enlightenment.
Q; Why is it so difficult to stay connected to the awakened state, Inner Being, INNERSOURCE or the Self, as you call them?
A; It is really due to the prolific power of egos use of feelings and excessive thinking, the self if you will. One’s programming has much to do with it. We all have a life script that is formed by around 5 or 6 years of age. Ego then adheres to this programming. Of course, we have very little control, if any, in regard to what was programmed. Therefore, it is of very great importance to challenge what has been taught, or what we have been indoctrinated to believe. Whatever brings about fear, any extreme emotion and or incessant thinking, keeping the student trapped in the past, or future, which is nothing more than projected memory, will be a warning bell. Stay in the Present Moment, where the past fades into memory, stay rooted in love, in a sacred stillness, listening, avoiding all divisiveness; the world’s problem.
Q; I think talking about the subject of Enlightenment misses the mark don’t you?
A; Indeed it does. Words can not describe the state. They can only point the way, and ultimately are just another attachment, another thing to cling to. To live it is the best way to communicate the awakened state. The energy spreads without talking at all.
Q; At what point will I know when I’ve arrived at success? I mean I practice my meditation each day for two hours and do not seem to be making gains. What can I do to increase my success?
A; Remain in the Present, just here, awakening to what has always been, inner-light or Being, inside. Arrival is to imply two points of reference. If you seek essence, it only creates duality or resistance. Meditation is done in the Moment, unfolding each second, in life, in relationships, here and now. It is an awakening, being here, now, the death of time. It is to bring all of the senses to a very high state of awareness, with total acceptance of what is, without desire for arrival. Just observation in stillness, a peace, a feeling of love and joy, absent egoic thought. Knowing that if there is an action required here, now, the necessary action will be taken, free of conceptualization. The state is with us always, once grounded. Sometimes stronger, sometimes just an echo, but always present. Be a part of the whole, awaken to that truth. It will take work on a daily basis. Learning to see no you, seeing Self more-so as our true nature, a daily decrease of memory, which is to ground the awakening. The observed and observer as the same.
Q; How can we feel peace all the time, as you say? Is that even possible? I mean everybody has a bad day, don’t they?
A; It is a matter of perspective, but yes we were hard-wired to be peace and or joy all the time. Our true nature, our real Self, is of love, the egoic mind is fear-based. It is not that there are not problems, but they do not disturb the peace. Out of that peace, out of that love, problems become opportunities to go deeper into INNERSOURCE, not psychological egoic thought or fear. If there is a loss of a loved one, there is no loss of love itself. It is simplistic really. Love, our true nature, comes out of peace/calm. Fear for the most part, which ultimately is an illusion, created in the mind, makes us anxious. Just consider for a moment the miracle that is the body. How infinitely complex it is, as well as the planet we live on. The planet we live on, and the light keeping it alive, is love personified. We are an expression of love ultimately. Awaken to INNERSOURCE, seeing the peaceful healing effect of love, in every cell in the body, united, with all creation. A feeling inside that says, “Yes, this is true on a deeper level.” Focus on love emerging from within. Nothing in the material world can take that love so long as it is awakened to. It is not dependent upon thought or things outside of collective humanity’s essence. There can be the seeing of that love; if awakened to, or there can be seen fear and pain if personal and collective humanity is not ready to awaken.