Here's a question.... How much of our daily serenity is a result of our ability to manipulate our environment, instead of a reflection of our deep inner peace?

I wager a bet, that it's a lot! That most of us spend an untold amount of effort working to keep any kind of challenge out of our lives, so that we can feel like we are spiritually evolved.

I've realized this since I started the Evolutionary Enlightenment Course training. Taking on this extra responsiblity has magnified the stress in my life. In Evolutionary Enlightenment we call this "Evolutionary Tension". In EE teaching - Evolutionary Tension is a good thing.

Evolutionary tension is the juice that feeds our ability to change, to develop and grow. In Evolutionary Enlightenment, the goal is development and change, so we love feeding ourselves with Evolutionary Tension.

People out in the rest of the world, don't seem to appreciate knowing someone who is willing to live their life with tension. I've noticed that many of my friends are trying to get me to calm down. They want me to slow down and develop silently, quietly and calmly. In other words they don't want me doing any obvious develoment at all.

First, though, I've noticed a big change in myself. I'm usually a good test subject for my own revelations. The first clue I started getting about all this was the change in my daily meditations. Usually (for years and years), I sit down to meditation, and quickly hit a point of pure stillness. Now, that I am under so much pressure, I just sit and quiver.

Not that I mind quivering. In meditation the instructions are to sit still, relax, and be alert. I can easily do all those things while quivering inside. in fact, it's quite an adventure to have such dynamic meditations. Especially since it leads to a deeper understanding of life.

I realized how much my own peace of mind is a result of keeping my challenges down to manageable levels. It's very thrilling to let all my limitations out of the bag, and face into what it takes to really change.

A Learned Perspective

A perspective that we know to be true ultimately has more value than unexamined conditionings. In the end, our ability to know our self is the only thing that will enable us to move forward. Being stuck in our feelings and thoughts keeps us from seeing clearly inside, or out. What would it be like to be making our decisions from a place that is deeper inside us than our feelings and thoughts?

Our feelings are always going to change, and are not necessarily a sound gauge of reality. Wouldn't it be wonderful to find a groundedness inside ourselves that is more stable?

Our goal should be to face life without existential conflict. If we can do that, then we are living from the place the Sufi's call "The Spirit of Guidance," and the Evolutionaries call "Evolutionary Tension."

Here's a quote from Hazrat Inayat Khan

"In a small affair or in a big affair, first consult yourself and find out if there is any conflict in your own being about anything you want to do. And when you find no conflict there, then feel sure that a path is already made for you. You have but to open your eyes and take a step forward, and the other step will be led by God."

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Some More Thoughts
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If a learned and examined perspective ultimately has more meaning and significance than our conditionings - then it could be that we can break through our conditionings simply by examining ourselves deeply. As we discover the unfounded things we believe - they will simply fall away without trauma as we see them to not be true!

Let's talk about it.

Connie

No matter how sophisticated we are, we each have an inner being that is like a little puppy needing attention. We are each responsible for keeping our inner essence fed and healthy. The mind can never be a replacement for the heart of compassion, and turning our compassion on ourselves is a kind and generous way to live. This is why it is good to sing a song when we are sad, quote a hero when we are afraid, say a prayer when we need help. To even the most sophisticated person, a peaceful ritual or superstition soothes the frightened animal inside.

We have a natural heart and a natural mind that is hungry to be led by our true self. Existential confusion is not that natural state of a human being! Our inner experience can be a harmonious expression of the outer world. This natural part of our self is already free from ignorance, and awake to the full experience of being human. There is no need to pretend, or think or build stories around this natural self. It stands on its own in a full state of regal self mastery.

As human beings we can become completely caught in our imagination, and then we are drowned in a sea of ignorance, where an army of fears and desires battle in our being day and night. With courage and determination, however, we can take on our over-active imaginations and realize that the nature of the mind's interpretation is illusion.

In every society and group there are a handful of people willing and able to make the ultimate decision to become master of their own experience. These people gain a new perspective that throws a light on the society in which they live. There will also be a group of people who want to be leaders, and put their energy into becoming leaders of others, before they master their own illusions. These leaders can be effective in their society, and usually use guidance from the past to inform their lives and guide others. This works well in cultures that are not facing new challenges. But it becomes a difficulty when we are facing the changes that evolution brings to us as a people. Old beliefs and superstitions that used to inform can become a powerful force of resistance to anything new.

The light of truth is one, but its expression needs to be fresh in societies which are experiencing change. In a society that is growing, it becomes a moral imperative for the masters of self to step up and create a new spirit of guidance to inform their culture. Today's huge populations call for more than individual realization. Fortunately we have the communication tools for groups of illuminated beings to decompress their experience into an expression of truth that is fresh and functional. This will create a revolution in art and culture unprecedented in human history.

What's Stopping Us!

TOPIC: Why does it take individuals and groups such a long time to move forward?

What if we could define ego as a great force of inertia conjoling us to hold back, insisting we stick to our position and frightening us into never moving?

What if we defined lack of ego as a great force of positivity and inspiration.

Would that make a difference to our spiritual practice? Would it make a difference to the way we live our daily lives?

Think about it:

Why is it that our mind is so much quicker to say "You can't do that," than to say "Sure, go ahead, give it a try."

Why do we latch on to every little failure with a hearty, "See! That always happens," while we ignore the little successes.

We seem to go to war quickly enough, we seem to get mad, annoyed or jealous quickly enough, and we seem to jump to conclusions quickly enough, so why does it take us so long to move towards obvious fundamental changes like bringing harmony, autonomy and authenticity into our lives and culture.

Could it be ego?

Want to talk about this? Join our consciousness calls! 
Next one is Sunday March 4 2007  at 7:00 PM Mountain Time.

Call: 712-580-6300, enter access code 598664#

We can expand consciousness simply by conversing about meaningful subjects! These conference calls are a wildly successful way to work out our own relationship to life through engagement with others. We are all part of the 21st Century cultural phenomenon. Let's share the juice and expand! Please feel free to join us any time. We'd love to have you.

The more voices being heard.... the better!

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