Lessons, Lessons, Lessons

Moving from a place of fearful ignorance to blissful and loving awareness, we experience moments of greatness, of Love's presence, of heaven. Through practice, acceptance, and willingness, we glance at perfect instants of the truth of this existence. We learn that the higher realities of life have little or nothing to do with our human bodies or of the illusions we project into a world less real as we reach a heightened sense of that which really is, and that which really matters.

Still though, we're here on earth, at least in part. We're here because we have chosen to be here and because we continue to choose to be here, regardless of the level of consciousness we sometimes dwell in. We're here to learn and to teach, to learn as we teach, and to teach as we learn. We're here to experience and to share this life; illusory or not, here we are, at least for a time.

In the early stages of our journeys here, most of us were aware only of the physical world, that which seemed most “real” and apparent. As we grew in awareness, in the realization and experience of the spiritual, the mystical, the divinity that is our higher and truer reality, the world, at least for brief moments, fell away and we began to see with eyes of love.

Nonetheless, there remained in us certain thoughts and behaviors which were not fully loving, nor fully enlightened. We wish and intend to see with eyes of love, but the illusion beckons us back to the place of fear. Old memories, as well as current projections of this fearfulness, haunt us, taunt us, and vie for attention and control. Breaking free of these unloving thoughts, which usually actualize in the physical projections that become our lives here, requires diligence and practice. Decades of unloving beliefs aren't released, for most of us, in a moment of divinity, but instead take time to unlearn, to replace, and to release.

The more we adopt an attitude of acceptance of every facet of our lives, the more we are open to continuing on the path of love and growth. The people that come into our lives serve a purpose, even when that purpose is not apparent to us in our limited view of the universe. Trust allows us to surrender, more and more, to the Higher Truth that is our Essence.

Our small and petty thoughts needn't be given any more power or attention than is required to notice them and lovingly invite them to leave. As we grow to higher states of awareness, we become increasingly more adept at noticing our thoughts; we allow our Higher minds to guide us and create for us a world of Higher Love, setting aside all thoughts which do not serve that objective.

This occurs only when we make the conscious choice to surrender. We surrender to the Universe, to that part of ourselves that is Pure Love, Pure Truth, Pure Light. For the vast majority of us, this process takes a long time. Perhaps we never reach a sustained state of Perfection, where we exist in utter awareness of the Presence of Love in each thought, each projection, each perception, each moment, while here in this reality we have chosen. We can, nonetheless, with a conscious mindset of surrender and acceptance, continue to grow in that direction.

Growth takes time. Growth takes acceptance. Growth takes faith and patience and a mindset of forgiveness. A failure to forgive is a guaranteed way to repeat the same lessons. We're here to learn and grow. This is what we chose before we left the perfection of Divinity, before we were born. We chose to experience love, growth, and all the sensations we feel in these human minds and bodies. Our Higher minds, always aware of the perfect union with Love, continue to create for us the lives we need in order to learn the lessons and experience the sensations we have chosen to learn and experience.

A lack of forgiveness is simply a lack of acceptance of these clear and undeniable truths. A lack of forgiveness is thus an impediment to growth, and a sure way to continually experience the same sorts of relationships, trials, hardships, and other life happenstances until such time as we forgive ourselves and the projected situations and people in our lives and reach a place of higher acceptance.

Perfect acceptance is not possible at this stage, but surrendering to ever greater levels of acceptance is indeed possible. And it always, always, begins with a choice. When we choose to lovingly surrender to the reality of the lives we have created, forgiveness and acceptance are granted us. Not in full measure, not completely, but increasingly.

Each time we grow, in acceptance, forgiveness, and surrender, we grow in peace, love, and joy. Acceptance is the pathway to peace. Forgiveness is the way of love. Humble surrender leads to bliss, to perfection, to heaven. And as we are indeed One – though at the same time many, unique, special – each step in growth leads us all a little closer to the perfection of heaven.

In time, many of us will understand, accept, and embrace this simple way of living. As that occurs, we will all experience the utter beauty of true world peace. The world and heaven will join in that divinely destined moment. Each and every step forward, large or small, brings us closer to that day.