Planet of Sorrow or Planet of Love?

Both can not be true, but yet this is our experience

This is Duality, whereas Reality is One

“Behold the Great Illusion!”

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What is true? It is apparent that there is sorrow in the world. This phenomenon has been examined throughout time immemorial.

The Four Noble Truths of Buddha focus specifically on suffering and the path away from it:

1. The Truth of Suffering
2. The Truth of the Cause of Suffering
3. The Truth of the End of Suffering
4. The Truth of the Path that leads to the end of Suffering

These statements represent one of the lifelong paths or in most cases a multi-life long path to Enlightenment and Freedom. There is nothing wrong with this, but whichever path you follow, the apparent daily and spiritual existence of Duality must be recognized.

Whichever path you take, it must be met with constant focus and perseverance. Finding peace in a world of duality is THE challenge facing humanity. Not going to Mars, not Global Warming, not curing Cancer, not even finding a cure for the Common Cold. Obviously these are desired, but are means to an end. I think you would agree that every time a “Challenge” is met, another one emerges. This is a planned treadmill and is baked into the system. They are effects, not cause. A true spiritual path brings one in line with cause, not the effects.

But the learning process presents many obstacles. That is why your experience here is best looked upon two-fold:

1. As an education, a venue to learn
2. As an opportunity to teach what you have learned

For humanity is a brotherhood, a family which within the scheme of evolution must face the challenge of growth together. Therefore an awareness of Oneness is the correct focus of desire and is eventually achieved. We learn to teach, we teach to learn until we have all learned all lessons available to us here, and we can move on.

So how does one then deal with the apparent dichotomy of life? The ups and the downs, the highs and the lows. The light and the dark? Is it not apparent that these are the terms of a dualistic existence? Once you have an insight… A bit of knowledge, a “Clue” as to how life really works, then you also have responsibility, for you are then entrusted with making a Choice.

Will you continue to accept Duality as the prevailing way of life? Or will you begin to seek the Oneness of life?

Your Mind fortunately and unfortunately can do both. Herein lies the problem, for our “Split Mind” has been quite literally the battleground. There are many more components of the “Human” construction than are taught in grade school. That would take volumes to discuss. For our purposes, the Mind is the Activating component of The Spirit. It brings your choice of what you believe should be reality, into reality. Into objective manifestation.

“Many moons go”, we were taught the way of Love. Then we taught ourselves the “Other” Way. We conceived it, and now we believe it. Both lessons are there, it is up to us to choose which one we believe. Which one we use as our guiding principle. If the right choice is made, our reality will change.

This is the metaphysical thumbnail sketch of how we got to our current condition. As alluded to, there are many ways out, but ultimately they all center on our beliefs, and following these beliefs (I say again…) with focus, determination and perseverance.

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Let me outline a quick tool which will help you advance your quest and will more often than not, demonstrate its lessons learned in your daily life. This is the tool of True Forgiveness.

True Forgiveness is a very direct counterpoint to the note of Separation which has led to our belief in Duality. This is no overnight skill to learn well, just like anything worth learning. And like any skill learned, which is deemed valuable, the first reaction is a desire to teach it.

What then am I talking about when I say “True Forgiveness”? We are far far down a “Gravity Well” called Earth… to use a Scientific term. But we are not so far away that we are completely disconnected from the whole. The fact of the matter is that we owe our existence to being part of the whole and not separate. Herein lies our strength and the secret to Forgiveness.

When something bothers you, when a situation doesn’t go the way you want it, when someone harms you in some way form or fashion… Even in life or “death” circumstances, you have a choice to make. Will I see this Brother/Sister (A duality concept…) as a part of me or separate from me?

If they are truly separate from you, then we have war endless and there is no hope. But if you see them or the situation as a part of yourself, then they are a part of your own thoughts. As a thought, it is just that. Once we take responsibility for our thoughts, we can forgive ourselves for thinking them up. Taking this line of thought, you have forgiven what “Upset” you at the same time as you forgive yourself for thinking it up in the first place. Both sides of the equation are addressed. True healing can begin.

Separation is then recognized as not being real and the “Pain” of Separation is healed. For feeling separated from something was the source of discomfort and the motivation for attack in the first place (separated from health, wealth, objects of desire etc. The ultimate source of pain being our sense of being separate from God). Equilibrium of responsibility and spiritual dignity are re-established through forgiveness. You and your brother are now seen as one and a great leap in progress has been made. This is what the Miracle in “A Course in Miracles” is really talking about… not turning water into wine.

But if someone attacks me? ME? Why should I forgive myself? This makes no sense you say. But it does. This is the most difficult lesson to learn and it bears repeating everyday:

1. You create your own reality
2. We have a shared identity with everyone else
3. We are one
4. Therefore you always attack yourself, first
5. Because there is really no “One” else out there

It’s just that simple and just that difficult. After continuous practice, you will begin to recognize the game being played (A childish game by us…) and your response will become increasingly automatic.

We distinguish True Forgiveness from forgiveness in that the world’s definition preserves the Phenomenon of Guilt. “That one did this to me!” “They are guilty!” Here is the scroll of punishment for all the world to see. Do you really think such a meticulous accounting of “Sin” within our “Crime and Punishment” based society is forgettable and therefore forgivable? On the surface, forgiveness might sound the same as True Forgiveness, but it is not. One bypasses guilt and puts you at the place of cause where a solution can be shared in Oneness, while the other preserves guilt, justifies attack and perpetuates victim hood. It can take awhile to see the difference and for that, you are forgiven 🙂

It’s been awhile since I have written here. I have been off living life and studying additional pathways, but events in the “Drama of Duality”, which is the “Play of Separation” have called me back to synthesize these learnings and attempt to continually communicate a message that has been given me. It has been helpful not only to me, but to those I have been fortunate enough to teach.

The road may be hard at times, but let us all remember who we truly are. A Spark of God. Everything else… Race, Religion, Nation, Time and Place are merely learning tools along the path to remembering this fact. Let’s not let them be idols and citadels of distraction. For the remembrance of who we are is the goal we seek, and the peace we are destined to find.