Conscious Peace

MARCH 18, 2003. Today I have received calls and emails from people expressing a DEEP pain, frustration, desperation, anger or fear regarding the decision of President Bush to go to war against Iraq. Many have expressed sentiments such as “I’m ashamed to be an American,” or “We LOST, it’s hopeless.” I, too, after watching television last night felt pain and sadness, even a tinge of anger at the circumstances. Yet, beyond that hurt and pain, I know that there is “something else” waiting to express itself. I have been studying The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle diligently and regularly, meditating and practicing the principles within. During my meditation this afternoon, I felt guided to write down some of those principles and practices so that we may each focus and reflect on the ENERGY of Peace.

Frustration, desperation, anger or pain results from working for RESULTS at the level of EFFECT. Tolle states that if whatever we do, we focus entirely on the level of EFFECT (form) we will experience frustration. We know that we are spiritual beings living in a human shell, in this human level of form, but we also know that we are more than our bodies, our circumstances, our experiences, or our life situation. We are expressions of an Infinite Intelligence and Divine Energy or state of Presence that is the creative power of the Universe. Tolle calls this Consciousness, many people use the term God, and I like to use the term Essence.

So, there is an Essence about us that is beyond our Experience or Form. Now if we work solely to change things at the level of Experience (Effect), we will encounter frustration. The shift that needs to happen occurs when we remember the Truth of who we are, or work at the level of Cause. (Unconsciousness)

Tolle says that most of the world is Unconscious. He states that that is not a judgment, but a fact. He further states that all “evil” or “bad” is the result of Unconsciousness. War is the result of Mass Unconsciousness. In order to produce change, one must work at the level of CAUSE and EFFECT simultaneously. (I think Tolle would even say that working at the level of CAUSE alone, would suffice.)

So then the question becomes how do we change Unconsciousness into Consciousness? War into Peace? Hate into Love? We do this at the level of CAUSE, by shining the light of our Presence, or our Essence into the situation. Claiming the Truth of who we are beyond name and form. By being Conscious.

We cannot create change by FIGHTING against something, or by carrying that energy of “fighting” something. If we carry that energy of “fighting” or “resistance” we are actually FEEDING the very thing we are trying to solve. We are polarizing the opposite ENERGY, and making it BIGGER.

We diffuse the energy of something we deem “negative” by realizing and focusing on the Truth, the Presence, or the Essence beyond the situation. Shining the light of our Love, our Presence, our Essence into any “dark” corner removes the darkness.

Tolle, states that all suffering is due to resistance. Due to resistance of what is… At this level of human forms, all things are Impermanent. Our bodies will die, our situations will change. Life at the level of human form is fluid, constantly changing. Now some of those experiences, we may deem “good” or “bad.” But none of the experiences are ultimately “good” or “bad” they just ARE. We have often thought “death” is bad. Something is good or bad based on our human labels. Life is cyclical and to understand and accept the cyclical nature of the Universe is key.

The primary teachings of Jesus and Buddha are to release attachment to everything, both what we deem “good” or “bad.” Because in every “good” there may be some “bad” and in every “bad” there may be some “good,” based on our Perception, not on the Truth. From a Higher Perspective everything is GOOD. Everything is Perfection, everything is love, but really it just IS. Our mind wants to label something as “good” or “bad” so that we can understand it. But our labeling of it as either “good” or “bad” is what makes it so…

Eckhart Tolle says that, “The ultimate effect of all the evil and suffering in the world is that it will force humans into realizing who they are beyond name and form. Thus, what we perceive as evil from our limited perspective is actually part of the higher good that has no opposite. This however, does not become true for you except through forgiveness.”

Tolle says that it is important to forgive the past, forgive every moment, every person and come to ACCEPT what is. From this place of acceptance, all “drama” in your life ceases to exist.

Tolle states that “Through allowing the ‘isness’ of all things, a deeper dimension underneath the play of opposites reveals itself to you as an abiding presence, an unchanging deep stillness, an uncaused joy beyond good and bad. This joy of Being, the peace of God.”

Now, some people don’t particularly want to hear this because they believe they must DO something to save the World, or to create a better world. And yes, this is true to some extent and also very noble. But, the change will come from your Consciousness UNITING with your Doing.

Tolle says that what we “see” in the World is largely a reflection of what a Course in Miracles calls the EGO or an ILLUSION. What is required to change the world is a SHIFT in Consciousness. Tolle states that “when the majority of humans become free of egoic delusion, this inner change will affect all of creation.”

He further states that, “Your primary task is not to seek salvation through creating a better world, but to awaken out of identification with FORM.”

If you think about it now, let’s take Mother Teresa as an ultimate example of how one person affects positive change. Her influence on healing the lives of others was the result of her BEING, not her DOING. Yes, she did form Missionaries all over the World and train people to “heal” and “help” the broken-hearted, the sick, the destitute. But she even claims that there was often nothing she could “DO” for people but that her greatest gift was just to BE with people. She didn’t concern herself with THINGS of the world because her contribution occurred at the level of BEING.

Tolle says, “You teach through being, through demonstrating the peace of God. You become the ‘light of the world,’ an emanation of pure consciousness, and so you eliminate suffering on the level of cause. You eliminate unconsciousness from the world.”

Again, we eliminate unconsciousness from the World by BEING fully Conscious. How do we do this? Through compassion, forgiveness, acceptance and KNOWING.

It is important right now to release any feelings of anger or pain, by shining the light of your PRESENCE into them. Darkness cannot exist in the presence of light. Hate cannot exist in the presence of love. War cannot exist in the Presence of Peace. And this starts in our OWN consciousness.

There are two ways you can release pain or anger. First, you can fully FEEL it. Go within and feel it. By feeling it, you become Conscious of it. The feeling will then dissipate; it will lose its energy. Or, you can transmute unconsciousness by knowing the Truth beyond the experience. By accepting any situation as it IS, and knowing that there is a Truth, a Presence, a Power that is active Right here and NOW, beyond any level of FORM. By accepting things you are not polarizing, or charging the opposite energy. You are allowing the GOOD to manifest, demonstrate.

I believe that the KEY to world peace is to “heal” our sense of separation from each other. If we have any energy of negativity or anger toward anyone, we are holding them separate from us, and thus contributing to the mass unconsciousness in which things like “war” and “violence” feed. Send every being love. Know the Truth of them, regardless of what they are demonstrating. Know the Truth of yourself as well.

Stay in the energy of peace by experiencing silence and compassion. By turning to that Presence that is YOU, that is beyond YOU. That Presence that is beyond your body. That Presence that remains after you or I depart our physical bodies. That is Consciousness, that is God. That is the Peace of God which is UNAFFECTED by any situation, that is the Peace of God that is INFINITE and UNALTERABLE.

ACTION STEP
Even though we talked about the importance of “being” instead of “doing” there are still things that we can do at the human level. Sometimes, I realize that I need to “do” something in order to get to that place of “being.” My suggestion is to pray and meditate daily on Peace. Visualize the World supported and bathed in the Essence of God, or Consciousness, or Presence. Turn within to that place of PEACE that exists within you. Practice forgiveness and compassion. IF there is someone who is “causing” a reaction in you, release them. Hold yourself in Unity with everyone. See yourself connected to others at a SOUL or SPIRIT level. Also, you may want to get into the ENERGY of some of our great spiritual leaders. I have been actively reading BIOGRAPHIES, and it is a wonderful way to stay in the ENERGY of the person. I have finished reading and watching biographies on St. Francis of Assisi, Woodrow Wilson, and Mother Teresa. Others on my list include Gandhi, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Jimmy Carter, Henry David Thoreau, and Einstein. WE can tap into the ENERGY of their state of BEING at any moment. It is a way to stay focused on the SPIRIT of Peace and Love.

WE ARE ALL ONE! We are now being called to EXEMPLIFY that Truth. WE are being called to DEMONSTRATE who we are beyond FORM! We are being called to shine the light of our Presence into the World!

© Lisa Hepner
Life Channels Staff Writer
All Rights Reserved

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