One Reason Why we Suffer

Tonight I wondered some questions that seem simple, but are not. Why is it we so often act to hurt ourselves, and increase our own suffering?

The first effect of suffering – simply feeling pain and sadness -- if truly accepted, then leads to a second step. Opening heart, the most natural response is self-comforting, to care about our sorrows, to simply open to our own pain. Perhaps the first reason why we cause ourselves suffering ,is to simply learn to love ourselves more, in comforting that pain.

We create this pain to give ourselves an opportunity for self-caring. The first object of learning to love is, of course, oneself. The way of open heart begins with compassion for our own pain. If we learn to love more, perhaps next time we'll be less likely to hurt ourselves, by thought, word, and deed.

Yet, what about all the children born into poverty or warfare? All those so innocent, so much harmed and damaged by human society? Their hardship is not some emotional self-conflict, it is not neurosis, it is truly at the hands of others.

And yet, what about karma, the idea of "higher self programming life-lessons" before we’re born? This is the idea of soul agreement, human experience pre-chosen for learning and growth, the plans made before we are born. It’s hard to imagine why souls would choose such a miserable life.

Yet, if we truly are souls, then even such painful human travail was planned from a higher dimension.

Perhaps for them too, from ancient karma we don’t understand, there is the same need, the need to learn or re-learn self-love, through the spiritual demand to experience a painful life. On planet earth, it seems suffering is the major catalyst to help us learn to love. It's a hard way to learn, for sure.

So I wonder, perhaps we all choose personal hardship to learn open heart. So we cause ourselves suffering -- to encourage ourselves to learn self-comforting. And thereby to open heart, learning what love really is, starting with ourselves and those who suffer with us.

Surely, we live in a world of great troubles, confusion, and strife. Thankfully, this life is not forever, it is temporary like a dream or bubble, a shadow of eternity, a dance we don't comprehend. When the dream becomes a nightmare, the first work is self-comforting.

Lessons from a “Dead Man”:
Sensuality and the Doors of Perception

One of my favorite movies is “Dead Man” with Johnny Depp, which is a strange film, actually. Set in the old US West, it’s really a wanderer’s tale – an outsider’s life-crisis on planet earth.

Depp plays the role of “William Blake” (akin to the English poet), a gentle soft accountant, gone to the train line’s end (a town called “Machine”) for a job at a factory filled with rough dirty men. But his desk job isn’t available, he has no money to return, and soon he falls into big trouble. On the run, he meets a native Indian named “Nobody” and together they return to final safety.

At the end of the movie, some very deep truth about ‘the end of the world’ is spoken:

“The ancient tradition that the world will be consumed in fire
at the end of 6000 years is true, as I have heard from Hell.

The whole creation will be consumed, and appear infinite, and holy,
Whereas it now appears finite and corrupt…

This will come to pass by an improvement of sensual enjoyment.

‘If the doors of perception were cleansed,
everything would appear to man as it is – infinite’.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6aCMgy0ES4

I don’t think earth will be destroyed by fire, but it’s clear that major changes are coming.

More likely, the idea is symbolic:

‘when false mind born of ignorance is destroyed by inner kundalini fire
(through yoga, meditation, and true spiritual practice),
then perception is cleansed, and divine glory is seen everywhere.’

From normal 3D perception it’s true, our world of things & people appears finite & corrupt. In the future, human perception will be cleansed – in 4th density (the "new age") all will see the holy creation. I believe that time is soon, but not quite yet, as 3rd density continues on.

Yet, the material-social world only appears finite and corrupt due to confused perception. Cleansing doors of perception is the heart of spiritual work, meditation, mind healing. Many people speak of it, but very few of us do it deeply, because facing this self is painful.

As doors of perception are cleansed here in 3D, we begin to live this “infinite and holy” now. All true enlightenment is a contact and re-union with this infinite holy life. Again, it's easy to speak of, but without profound spiritual change, impossible to truly live.

For most of us, the beauty, splendor, and grandeur of creation is rarely remembered. Yet, glorious infinite life is everywhere, inside and out, known when we have the eyes to see.

And how will humanity’s future awakening come about? The teaching above indicates it will come about “by an improvement of sensual enjoyment...” Doors of perception are cleansed by a return to the natural creation, heaven and earth, lived in our body.

It isn’t the same as thoughtless pleasure-seeking – we crave sensual enjoyment today, but gain little awakening from it. Wars and injustice is still here. The important word is “improvement” – and what is ‘improved’ by sensual enjoyment? Most likely, it means sensual pleasure set in spiritual context, improved by awareness of oneness. This is sensual enjoyment based on true harmlessness (Sanskrit: “ahimsa," considered the highest yoga), resting on true responsibility and respect for all.

At the end of Dead Man, William Blake and Nobody return to source, both heaven-bound. This world of grime, deceit, and violence is no longer for them – at last they find freedom.

Those few who purify heart-mind and complete their return to the infinite holy world, right here in this world – these are the great heroes among us, silent and invisible, radiant suns shining freely. Someday we shall be what they are.

May 13, 2008

To my Brothers and Sisters of Sorrow

In the Ra Material, they use a special term for Wanderers: “the brothers and sisters of sorrow…” There is no other channeling or human source that uses this phrase. Ra spoke that the suffering of humanity is felt as deep pain throughout the far reaches of our galaxy. Don’t you realize how much humanity is beloved by your family?

Just as we take care of a pain in the hand, we come to earth in love to heal the pain of this world, felt as our own body. Don’t you remember this? Of course, it is difficult when we feel such dis-ease here... But as heart chakra opens and becomes a crystal, we feel the suffering of others more strongly. The personal heart must be thoroughly shattered to open the line for greater power.

Jesus was called ‘the man of sorrows,’ because he understood this in humanity. It is said he brought himself to hell for 3 days, offering all in service. This is not so different from wanderers remaining in 3rd density.

I always wondered where is this sorrow, when people hide themselves so much. Like other teachers, I have offered wisdom but few care to receive… so where is this need?

Then last night I realized where the human streams of sorrow originate. I touched the seabed floor of my own personal pain, and entering the stream of human sorrow, I cried in this stream of sorrows. If you felt it, you would too.

This stream comes from the children who suffer so on earth. I do not mean small suffering; I am speaking of true heart pain. Their pain is pure, no defense, no protection, just pure sorrow. It is very great, and I do not recommend you enter this stream, unless your heart is strong enough to be broken up again.

Please understand, this stream is always tended by shepherds. The greater angels are always within the stream, helping as they are. No human is without protection, and there is more help than we know. When you know it and feel it in your gut, you 'll never do harm.

Streams of negativity have been strong on earth since before humans. This planet was given to just this mix of souls, young souls, love-rejecting souls. It is all within the heart of cosmic love, we should never forget. Yet, there are invisible struggles playing out here.

We should not forget how important this life is, this time on earth. There is a resplendent dawn awaiting us, for wanderers, all humans, and earth. No negative forces shall stop what has already happened, it is so. It is now and shall be, only the questions of how and when remain. Ascension is very real, it is happening in our bodies and all around us.

Can’t you see how fast time is speeding by? We are already in the first energy fields of 4th density. In little time, time will become effortless once again. What we dream shall come to be. We can have faith, trust, and certainty. We can begin this holy dreaming today.

All tears stream through the heart of those who love humanity, as family. We on earth bring our light into this stream. Very soon we shall know that all parts have been re-united.

June 16, 2008

Love, Pain, Cure

Today a friend sent me this poem by Rumi (1207-1273 A.D.), the Persian mystic:

“One day your heart will take you to your lover.
One day your soul will carry you to the Beloved.
Don't get lost in your pain –
Know that one day your pain will become your cure.”

I agree completely, but it’s not quite so simple…

“One day your heart will take you to your lover.
One day your soul will carry you to the Beloved.”

I agree – someday we will rejoin our most beloved soul and souls. But it may not happen in this particular human lifetime, that’s not always the Plan. Knowing life as eternal, knowing death as just ‘passing over’ (crossing dimensions), longing and loneliness are softened in the waters of faith -- this is our testing, and someday we will return home.

Those who come from Light return to Light; those of Light shall one day reunite in Light. This is not emotional hope, it’s a Law of Creation – those of like-nature evolve and join.

For those who long to meet their soul mate or feel discouraged in painful relations today, it’s good to take the long view, in truth -- this human life is temporary, a series of challenges to see how well we hold fast to love/wisdom, moment by moment.

3D incarnation is basically a training, a testing, a sacrifice in service to all – but an incarnation is not forever. Forever awaits when we depart this dimension; without doubt, then our Beloved appears. One teacher said:

“There is no remedy for love, but to love more.”

Broken-hearted, longing for love, regretting the past, ashamed of such failures… There is no remedy but to love more – loving self despite rainstorms of distress. To “love more” is the way of self-healing, leading to release of painful mind process – it is slow and difficult, but we have no other spiritual path. Rumi agrees:

“Don't get lost in your pain – know that one day your pain will become your cure.”

It seems strange, how can my pain become my cure?

Not rejecting pain, I accept it as a friend – and my total responsibility for creating it. I experience this pain due to inner emotional blockage, personal desires, spiritual confusion. If I were more evolved, such pain wouldn’t arise – but I am what I am, with no one to blame. Such is self-forgiveness, the solace of a wounded heart.

Getting “lost in your pain” is the opposite of using pain for self-healing. We get lost by circular thinking, self-punishment, wallowing in emotional distress and self-pity. Lost in our pain, we fall into a dark hole of self-rejection – hating ourselves and our mind process. Hating inner pain or darkness, we build ever more walls and cells of self-limitation and woe.

“…your pain will become your cure.”

Tears fall, eyes open pouring salt streams of sadness. Innocence and ignorance crying; we’re all spiritual children. Heart opens to receive the falling teardrops, and pain is my cure. May we find our cure in the heart of true forgiveness.

February 19, 2008