3-17-2012

Strength of will - the discipline to focus on the positive no matter how things present themselves, or seeing things just as they are with no judgment, is a moment to moment choice.  It is the mastery of the mental and emotional states.  It has been said that this is what it takes to rise into Christ Consciousness.  It is the discipline you find in the balance of remaining neutral, no matter what the situation.  It is the mindset of a well-trained martial arts master – true balance of the mind and emotion – a clarity, which is what the winning advantage is; not how hard you kick or how fast you can use your hands.  It is staying in complete control and not “reacting” but holding a neutral point of mind.  It is maintaining composure.  It is the Zen mind.  It is being totally present.  It is the ability to detach.  Detachment brings discipline to the mental and emotional factors, and discipline brings detachment.  One supports the other.

            In reading Neville Goddard’s writing, “Fundamentals,” I felt it fit very well into the necessity of strength of will.   The first step, Neville said, is self-observation. We believe we have an idea about who we are and generally see ourselves as an ideal of what we would like to be.  The way to tell if you are truly living this ideal is to observe how you react to circumstances or people.  Is your reaction the ideal you see yourself as?  Perhaps not.  You might react from the ego, perhaps from fear or anger.  This is not the reaction of an enlightened person, or one who strives to be so.  Your reaction to things is like a mirror showing you an inner self you might not like as much as the image you would like to see.  Using this type of self-observation will show you blockages, true feelings, and how far away you are from being the image of your goal.  Seeing and clearing these habitual negative reactions will also help you to attain a higher vibrational consciousness to open yourself to all the Universe has to offer.

The second thing to do once you observe this, is to define what he calls your “aim,” the state of consciousness you wish for.  Do you see yourself as loving, kind, noble?  If someone angers you, you can instantly see by your reaction if you are any of these.  It will show you whether you are in harmony, and therefore faithful to your defined aim, or not.

Everything in life comes from a state of consciousness made visible.  You get to define what you want to make visible, so the third thing you must do if you are not in harmony with your aim is detach from the reaction and attach to the aim.  What you are doing is separating yourself from present reaction and attaching to the one you desire.  This takes practice, but if you can define your aim, it will give you something you can attach to, hang on to, as you are trying to separate from habitual reactions that are not in harmony with you.  It will help separate you from negative moods, anger, or fears and align you with the Divine being you truly are. 

How you react to anything is your choice.  The above three steps are a way to help you see your reactions, feel if they are in harmony with you, defining how you would rather react, and through the observation of yourself, see how well you are reconstructing your consciousness to a better way of being through your reactions.  In time, you will have disciplined yourself to come from exactly that being you know you can be.  Neville said, “The way of true metaphysics lies in the midst of all that is going on in life. We must constantly practice self-observation, thinking from our aim, and detachment from negative moods and thoughts if we would be doers of truth instead of mere hearers. Practice these three fundamentals and you will rise to higher and higher levels of consciousness. Remember, always, it is your state of consciousness that attracts your life.”  And all this takes strength of will and discipline.  Detachment is the key word to self-control of thoughts and staying in a neutral place.

            There was a story I heard once about a Master Teacher, who had a housemaid that would come in and cook or clean for him.  One day her parents arrived at his home in a state of rage.  They accused him of fathering the child she was pregnant with.  He simply looked at them, smiled, and said, “Is that so?”  For one thing, this statement defused the anger, but it also kept him in balance without feeling he needed to be defensive.  He asked if there was something he could do.  As it turned out, he helped to raise the baby.  A year later, the parents were back at his door, heads bowed and looking quite sheepish.  They explained that they had been wrong about him; that their daughter admitted she had been seeing a boy and that this boy was the father of the child.  The monk turned to them smiling and said, “Is that so?”  No anger at the girl, no anger or need of retribution toward the parents, just flowing with “what was.”  This is staying neutral, in balance, not reacting one way or the other – just BEING.  This is going with the flow of life and accepting what comes and seeing events as an opportunity to grow, to rise toward enlightenment through not reacting one way or the other.  It is detachment and discipline of mind and heart.  This is strength of will in maintaining balance.  This is also how one rises above the Law of Rhythm, but that’s another story for another time.

            Gabriel, which means “God Is My Strength,” has a few words.  “I wish to quote my brother, Azrael, in the simple, yet profound words that you might have read before, ‘A heart desiring the Light will receive it according to the depth of its desire.’  If you truly desire the Light, to be enlightened unto the Light of Divine Consciousness, then allow that One, that Creator, the Universal Mind, to be your strength as well.  For it does take strength of mind and heart to heighten your vibration enough to become illuminated.  You may call on me for assistance, but I tell you, look always toward the Light when you stumble in the dark, for it is truly within that Light that you will find your strength, your inspiration, your own divinity.  Mastering control of the ego/mind and emotions needs to be your motivation, and that motivation must be passionate.  Focus on coming from the soul and an open heart instead of the ego/mind and your soul will guide you, for it seeks the Light from whence it came.  Stay strong in your desire, and you will find the Light that burns within you, from that which is God within you.”

            I will end this week with another quote from Neville Goddard, and though it seems simple, it is one of the most powerful attitudes you can have.  “Assume you already are what you want to be, and then live that assumption.”  That is the best way hang onto your “aim.”