The "Added-On"

 But seek first the kingdom of God and all His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6: 33 ESV

And Micheal A. Singer expresses that message this way: 

Serve the miracle of Life as opposed to serving yourself.

Most of us, if we are being very honest, spend our lives here on Planet Earth serving our little selves, our egoes. We put most of our energy and effort into feeding this human part of mind we call 'me', making it comfortable, getting it all the things it says it wants and needs. We focus on the 'added on'.  Sure, we may seekthe kingdom of  God or the spiritual (again...just words, right?) but we often do so in order to get those added on things. The 'added on' is often our goal, not the kingdom of God. (Thinking of  what was done with this 'manifesting' thing many people are in to.) 

The 'added on' things are those things like the perfect partner, the right amount of money or success, the right life situation, the feeling good inside...  that we assume will make 'little me' more comfortable and happier.  We do not realize that when we focus on that, we are narrowing the amazing light of consciousness (that which we are) down onto this tiny mind created personality that seems to exist in a tiny speck of dust which is gravitationally stuck to a tiny bit bigger speck of dust, blurring everything else out. 

This tiny personality we identify as ' me', with its tiny desires and aversions, is what we tend to serve. And it isn't even real. It is something the mind made by collecte and storing all our memories....mostly the painful. It is a very messy creation that wants and needs so much to keep it appearing real.  What we 'seek' then, is that which  will make this 'me' stop throwing tantrums; that which will soothe it, and make it 'happy'...not God's kingdom.  

How do you make the self, that you are not, happy?...[is the question of this time period.]

We fail to see what is in those blurred out portions of the image this moment experience is providing.  We see the moment sure...but we often look at it through a very narrowly focused lens and say, "Oh no!! Not this!  Give me another moment." 

We may even get on our knees and pray to this 'God' that is somewhere in the out of focus part of our experience and say, "Help 'me'! Take away this moment and give me another one.  I don't like it!"  Sure, we are praying then but we are not seeking the Kingdom of God when we do that...we are seeking the 'added on'. We are not serving the moment; we are resisting it. We are not focusing on God; we are focusing on the drama of this thing that isn't even real. 'Me' isn't real and we are not the drama it is going through. We are the observers and experiencers of it!

You are so busy staring at 'you'...how are you going to see your divinity?

Of course, I realize I still have a bigger ego than most and it is my Life commitment now to get done with this 'me' so I can get to the kingdom of God (and I don't even know what that is or what I will find there...I just know to the very core of me that it is much more than the 'added on').  I want to serve the moment in front of me. 

 Am I devoting myself to the moment in front of me (God)?

Michael Singer in the below linked podcast challenges us by saying that the moment we tell ourselves we are going to be egoless, is the moment ego pops up. I can attest to that.  In my desire now to seek the kingdom over the added on; in my commitment to serve without attachment to outcome; and in my intention to be done with ego...I find and see ego everywhere, more so than I ever did! Ironically, there are more challenging life events for this ego to trespass through.  I get sucked in to its drama so frequently now.  I find myself splashing around in there lost for moments, hours, days, and weeks at a time. I find myself shouting out to the Universe, God, Life- whatever might be hiding in the cropped or blurred portion of my image- "No, not this!  I do not want this moment! Give me another!"  I forget, again and again, that I am not that 'me'  being swallowed up by the life challenges.   I forget that I actually want that 'me' to get swallowed up because it is only in the way.

How do I get done with myself? 

It is so hard for my logical mind to believe that the challenges are showing up to serve that which 'I am' by shaking up the 'me'...It is hard for me to believe that Life, God, this moment...has my best interest at heart...that it is serving the "I am" that I am. I cannot conceptualize that...but...I want to know it is. 

I know in my core that I need to get beyond 'me' and I need to serve the moment in order to reach that peace that I am longing for.  [Is that idea of peace an 'added' on?  Am I seeking the 'added on' then by seeking unconditional peace no matter what Life throws my way? Idk.]

I want to love the moment I am in, no matter what is happening in it! 

The moment in front of you never existed before and will never exist again...there will never be another moment like that one in front of you...it must be for you...don't miss it.

The thing is I am not sure how to best serve the moment in front of me.  I am not sure what to do. I spend hours of my so called 'free-time', when I am not dealing with all these challenges, writing here, for example, thinking that I am serving without attachment to outcome but ego is still around, checking the stats, wanting more. I seem to be okay that the poetry that comes so naturally out on this page will remain in obscurity but there is still a sad little ego in the background, scuffing its feet  with its head down saying, "Ah shucks! Looks like I will never get more than a few readers." Ego is still around and it wants the added on. 

I mean I am not getting the 'added on'. I am not being rewarded in any external way for my service (plenty of internal rewards) but I still serve the moments in this way. As I do, ego's voice  is getting more and more faint. That has to account for something...doesn't it?

So, what about all these challenging moments that show up? 

I want to accept, embrace, honor and learn from every moment that Life gives me.  I do. Up to a point, I can look at challenge and love it! Sometimes, though...I look at the challenging moment and say, "Are you kidding me?"  I want it gone! Or, I want to be gone from it. 

"The creator of the universe created this for me...I want to be here now in it."

I personally do not like this ego life I am experiencing.  There is very little joy.  I am okay with letting it go. At the same time, I know that self-compassion is so crucial to our human development and to our spiritual growth. What do I say, then, to this ego in the way?

Oh, ego you are so cute but your days are numbered.

All is well! 

Michael A. Singer/ Sounds True/ Temple of the Universe ( October, 2024) Learn to Serve the Present Moment/ The Michael A. Singer Podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USDcUerEljg&list=PLyOuAoSmZkKoESr2acNWwhznusbBkKXsT&index=4