The Ivory Tower and the pursuit of knowledge

[reedfish]

"Allow which is, to be"

And what if that's anger...?
What if that is fear?

I think pure acceptance starts by accepting non-acceptance! Trying to accept everything because you refuse anger or fear might not work, in my humble understanding

Easier said than done, I agree

Pure acceptance means accepting non-acceptance on the part of other-selves (for we have no control over them). It also mean accepting non-acceptance within yourself when it manifests in ways you didn't "expect". The paradox, is when you drop expectation, acceptance expands. When you work on acceptance, expectation recedes.

Accepting anger and fear means forgiving yourself AFTER you have manifested these emotions in a way you didn't expect - no sense beating yourself up over spilt milk. That said, "acceptance" does not imply "acceptance" of future lapses before they manifest. "Acceptance and forgiveness of self" should only apply to the past and present - not the future. When one accepts limitation for the future of self, they are truncating their potential, and abandoning the path of the adept.

Perfectly FINE - A-OK. The Creator certainly allows this, so who am I or anyone else to "judge" anyone for this. That said however, STS is how we identify souls that REFUSE to change. They in a real "ironic" sense, accept themselves by seeing other-selves as the source of ALL their problems. All their problems are always some other-selfs FAULT. If they're sad - someone else's fault. If they're angry - someone else's fault. If they make a mistake - someone else's fault. They "ironically" accept self by NEVER examining the self and refusing to hold the self truly accountable for anything.

I don't think that's the kind of "acceptance of self" those on the STO path are after.

Anger and fear are emotions that are incompatible with love. The Course in Miracles sends this message a thousand different ways. For those who wish to experience, express and radiate love for self and other-selves, than REDUCING the effect of these emotions on the self is necessary if one wishes to become MORE "loving". It's hard - bordering on impossible, to really love that which you "fear". Same with anger. The goal is "effortless love" - and where there is EFFORT in loving, you will inevitably find it is anger and fear that is making it difficult.