How to thin the cloud cover over Self: Step One

If I keep missing reality, I will miss my life.
-Michael Singer

Step One: Accept what is

The first step to thinning that cloud cover that prevents us from experiencing the true joy of Living that comes when we reacquaint ourselves with the true Self...is acceptance of the now.  We need to accept what is as it is.

I know we talked about this many, many times before but Michael Singer offers some new insight into the "challenge'' and importance of surrendering to the present moment in Michael A. Singer: Honoring and Respecting Reality-Vol 7 The Untethered Soul Lectures.  Spirituality, he teaches, has little to do with the question, "Why am I here? Why is this happening to me? How do I fix it? ....It is all about asking the question, "What am I going to do with this moment right in front of me?"

What am I going to do with this moment right in front of me?

We have several options but for most of us we choose to take this moment of our life to the mind rather than experiencing it fully.

• We question our experience as to why it is happening; what is meant by it; what it will mean in the next moment etc. We analyze it to death.
• We judge it. We talk ourselves into believing it is good or bad, right or wrong, worthy or unworthy etc.
• Or we complain about it.  "It is too hot.  She is so annoying! This is terrible!  That is just wrong, bad or awful!"
• We may should it to death: "This should be a different way!  This should not be happening right now! "
• We may spend much mental energy scheming and planning ways  try to fix it or get a better "next' moment!  "If I do this I will make it better!  If I say that she will react differently."
• We delve into past memories.
• We dive into future projection.
• We resist it.  "No...no I will not tolerate this!!"
• We may numb the mind from it with any substance or activity that takes us away from the moment.
• We deny it or avoid it.  Close our eyes to what is.
• We create story around it so at least we can escape into drama and other reaction.
• We rationalize why it is happening. What event triggered or caused it?
• We narrate our way through it because words and thought often have a numbing effect.
• We use it as a means to get to the next moment:  "I will endure here so I can get there where things will be better."
• We skip out of the reality of experience and slip into the sleep of thought.
• We make it all about "me" .

Hmmm! These methods of dealing with the here and now are what most of us do so they are actually considered normal! Missing reality is a conditioned response to living.

But it doesn't have to be this way.  We can instead...decide to stay present and not go into the mind. How?

• We can deal with one moment at a time as it shows up in front of us.
• We can stop questioning why something is happening or popping up in front of us and just accept that it is. 
• We can stop personalizing it and know that what is showing up in front of us is a creation that took billions of years to manifest through many and many different sources.  It had very little to do with us!
• We can also stop blaming ourselves for it or struggling to make it something it isn't by  using this axiom from Alanon to our advantage, "I didn't break it and I can't fix it. "
• We can relax into it rather than resisting or struggling against it.
• We can respond rather than react.
• Put aside judgment of it. The world is not unfolding for you to judge it. (Singer)
• Stop narrating our way through it.
• Realize that this moment, as it is , is reality and reality is a manifestation of God. (Singer)
• It is perfect just the way it is. Nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." (Hamlet) 
• Not only that... it is awe inspiring to witness creation unfolding in front of us and each moment is a moment of creation. How lucky we are to witness Life.
• Be in awe of it...whatever it entails.
• Honor and respect it!

Hmm!  Can we try that instead of getting lost in our minds?  I am confident we will see a great thinning of the cloud between us and Self if we do!

All is well!

Singer, Michael (Aug, 2018) Michael A. Singer: Honoring and Respecting Reality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhaMrMZS6YI