11-09-2020, 11:42 AM
This has been, for me, a *profound* insight into an overarching spiritual goal of third density.
It is nothing new compared to what Ra and Q'uo have stated. But I have encountered it more directly, have recognized its overarching importance as a core Lesson we all must learn in order to transcend this illusion and move up.
The lesson is: Unconditional love for oneself.
It does not mean approving of, or excusing what we do not like about ourselves.
It does mean reacting to every perceived fault, failing, or problem of any kind with unfailing kindness toward oneself.
Within every challenge we encounter is an opportunity: the opportunity to use that challenge as a stepping stone for spiritual growth, that is, movement toward a permanently greater state of well-being.
The opportunity in *any* form of distress is to react to it with compassion toward oneself. That is efficient use of the catalyst. Without being unconditionally loving toward oneself, it becomes impossible to sustain love toward others.
Forgive yourself first. Again, this does not mean excusing the behavior; it does mean: deciding not to be an enemy to yourself, not to criticize or blame or punish, despite the perceived fault or misstep.
Forgiving ourselves opens the door to reacting to any problem with kindness and support towards ourselves. This, spiritually, is an incredibly powerful practice - even if it does not immediately appear to produce results perceptible to our conscious minds.
Whatever the external issue may be that bothers you - eg, problems at work, interpersonal conflict, COVID anxiety, financial worries - anything at all - there are two parts to it:
1) the issue outside of yourself
2) the opportunity to use it as a step towards greater unconditional love for yourself.
It is easy to lose sight of the second one, but it is the most important. Difficulties will come and go; the spiritual growth you attain is permanent.
Here is the practice.
When any kind of emotional distress arises:
Set aside, just for the moment, the external situation and take time, at your earliest convenience, to deal with the emotional state you are experiencing.
Whatever the emotion is, relax into it. There is, inside you, a part that's in distress. You, the one who is noticing the distress, can either go along with it, buy into it, act on it -- OR, you can meet it with kindness and compassion.
Allow the distress to flow through you. *Be kind* to the parts of you that are in distress; don't argue with them or try to convince them that they shouldn't feel the way they do - but also, don't buy into their distress or fear.
Instead, love on them. Sit with them, comforting them inside yourself; reassure them; treat them with love and kindness.
That is all that’s needed; do not worry about whether or not they accept that caring, whether or not they relax or go away.
The closer you come to being able to do this, *regardless of circumstances or fault*, the closer you will have come to being able to love others unconditionally.
Adonai.
It is nothing new compared to what Ra and Q'uo have stated. But I have encountered it more directly, have recognized its overarching importance as a core Lesson we all must learn in order to transcend this illusion and move up.
The lesson is: Unconditional love for oneself.
It does not mean approving of, or excusing what we do not like about ourselves.
It does mean reacting to every perceived fault, failing, or problem of any kind with unfailing kindness toward oneself.
Within every challenge we encounter is an opportunity: the opportunity to use that challenge as a stepping stone for spiritual growth, that is, movement toward a permanently greater state of well-being.
The opportunity in *any* form of distress is to react to it with compassion toward oneself. That is efficient use of the catalyst. Without being unconditionally loving toward oneself, it becomes impossible to sustain love toward others.
Forgive yourself first. Again, this does not mean excusing the behavior; it does mean: deciding not to be an enemy to yourself, not to criticize or blame or punish, despite the perceived fault or misstep.
Forgiving ourselves opens the door to reacting to any problem with kindness and support towards ourselves. This, spiritually, is an incredibly powerful practice - even if it does not immediately appear to produce results perceptible to our conscious minds.
Whatever the external issue may be that bothers you - eg, problems at work, interpersonal conflict, COVID anxiety, financial worries - anything at all - there are two parts to it:
1) the issue outside of yourself
2) the opportunity to use it as a step towards greater unconditional love for yourself.
It is easy to lose sight of the second one, but it is the most important. Difficulties will come and go; the spiritual growth you attain is permanent.
Here is the practice.
When any kind of emotional distress arises:
Set aside, just for the moment, the external situation and take time, at your earliest convenience, to deal with the emotional state you are experiencing.
Whatever the emotion is, relax into it. There is, inside you, a part that's in distress. You, the one who is noticing the distress, can either go along with it, buy into it, act on it -- OR, you can meet it with kindness and compassion.
Allow the distress to flow through you. *Be kind* to the parts of you that are in distress; don't argue with them or try to convince them that they shouldn't feel the way they do - but also, don't buy into their distress or fear.
Instead, love on them. Sit with them, comforting them inside yourself; reassure them; treat them with love and kindness.
That is all that’s needed; do not worry about whether or not they accept that caring, whether or not they relax or go away.
The closer you come to being able to do this, *regardless of circumstances or fault*, the closer you will have come to being able to love others unconditionally.
Adonai.
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