Whole Living Today

While cleaning up my computer today, I came across a newsletter that I had saved over a year ago. The following article is written by James Ray. Visit JamesRay.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Relationships are a gateway to enlightenment.”

It is easy to be enlightened when sitting in your living room alone. But time and time again I realize that relationships (romantic and non-romantic alike) act as a mirror for your potential areas of growth.

“If you think you are truly spiritual and enlightened…go spend a week with your parents.” - Ram Dass

Unless a person is really filled with Power and Consciousness, all relationships (particularly intimate ones) are severally flawed and dysfunctional. Time and time again I have had the opportunity to dance with my own devils in intimate situations with another. More often than not my ego has attempted to convince me that I am really conscious and awake while the other (the “unenlightened female” in a particular situation) is unconscious and thus the problem is a result of her not me :o).

The ego can play tremendous trips on you, even in the name of Spiritual pursuits.

“There are only two emotions in the world…love and fear.”
- The Course in Miracles

It seems that most relationships (particularly in today’s world) become love/hate situations (or love/fear). More often than not, intense love can be followed by emotional attack, anger, accusation, or complete withdrawal of affection, and this is considered normal.
Another common approach is avoidance of relationship - most often practiced to avoid pain, but this is not an effective strategy. Experiencing many “failed relationships” (if approached through awareness), can do more to enlighten then years in seclusion.

True love has no opposite. Think about that one.

If a relationship moves from “love” to anything other than love, it was not true love to begin with - rather infatuation. Many passionately dive into a new- found “love” only to realize that their “perfect infatuation” has turned into a perfect monster.

Typically we begin to see all the weaknesses and shortcomings in that person that mysteriously did not appear before. Actually each person offers the other an opportunity to observe their own weaknesses and where they have the possibility of growth.

A perfect relationship will only be achieved by two people who are passionately pursuing Consciousness and are open and willing to grow.

There have been several occasions in my own life in which I come out of a relationship followed by a long period of being alone. In my experience these times have been incredible times of increasing Power and Consciousness; and then invariably the Cosmos has sent me the perfect mate to test the depth of my true mastery. Unfortunately, in many cases the intellectual understanding has outshined the practical mastery.

“The things you don’t like in others is often the darkness in yourself that you refuse to face.”

This dance with your own darkness is where the battle begins. This battle is never truly with the other person. The Warrior fights the battle internally with his/her own demons; and while difficult in many cases - this battle is potentially the greatest gift.

I have learned as much or more about my self, my own ego weaknesses, and my own needs in a relationship as I have learned sitting in the Alps with my teacher.

For true love to flourish you must disidentify with the ego and its incessant thoughts and begin to transcend and live in a state of Consciousness, Beingness or Presence.

To do this you must become the observer of your thoughts and your behavior. Once you move to the point of observation (in other words you observe the thoughts and emotions that arise), you no longer are identified and/or owned by them.

Increased consciousness does not mean that you will no longer have the feelings and thoughts - you will. The ego survives on these things and will create them even to the loss of your own happiness. But with increased consciousness you can allow these egoic thoughts and feelings to arise, observe them happening, yet not be attached or defined by them.

As long as we are in human form, the ego will play the game. The Path of Power is playing the game full-out but not being owned by the game. This “full-out play” occurs in an increased state of Consciousness where you are no longer dependent on the outside world to create your state of being. You can still appreciate and enjoy the fullness of the physical world (in fact, that is why you are here), but you are no longer identified by it. You can have fun manifesting and creating and experiencing all the things that we are here to experience, but your essence it as ease.

Eckhart Tolle does a masterful job of defining the difference between your “life” and your “life situation”. From the moment you enter the physical plane you subject yourself to distraction. Every thing is a distraction as well as an opportunity to transcend - this is your “life situation”. But true Being, Power, Consciousness, is changeless and complete - this is your “life”. Power is increased and Consciousness expanded to the degree that you constantly define yourself by your life not your life situation.

Remember we are human beings, not human “doings” or human “havings”. True beingness is tested by distractions such as cars, houses, income, and relationships (life situation). To the degree that you allow yourself to be defined by toys, trinkets, and others, you no longer are accessing your true identity or Beingness. There is no place where this is more apparent then in relationships.

Relationships (like all externals) are a distraction. Since we are only male and/or female in this physical form we will always be physically incomplete. Therefore we continue to be attracted to the “other half” of our form. Yet your true identity is fully male and female…Consciousness is totally complete.

The Journey and objective of the Spiritual Warrior is to play the game of life, observe and participate in all the distractions, while remaining rooted in Infinity. Easier said than done…but this is exactly why you are here and why the earth plane is such a wonderful place to grow.

So begin relating and growing. Allow those around you to show you who you truly are. I guarantee it will accelerate your Power more rapidly than any monk assignment will ever do. Get in the game! After all…that is why you are here.

Light Speed,
Your Spiritual Warrior coach,

James

Trackback URI | Comments RSS