power versus force

the love that i feel pouring forth these days is immense and powerful. it flows in the forms of vision and kind intention/expectation. it flows in the forms of authentic connection and unwavering trust in the surrounding sacred concert of life. it flows right now, as i write, in the form of happy, gently rolling tears and a sincere wish to embrace each of you.

the below excerpt, from power versus force, was the last thing i recall reading last night before i drifted asleep. i smiled while taking it in—and enjoyed vivid, connection-strewn dreams. i awoke this morning with the book, still open to the same passage, tucked underneath my pillow…and so i read it again…and again i smiled.

i want to share it with you, today.

if you can and want to {instead of simply reading it in a rush, sitting here at the computer}, please wait until the distraction of the day’s routine fades a bit—until you have time to get cozy, brew a hot cup of tea or other soothing drink, indulge deeply in self-love as you take in love. read, and then re-read, lean into the transformations that are presently occurring in your own being…then lean into the transformation that is presently occurring in the entire world around us.

personal and global shifts…

i feel as though i communicate with and on behalf of the energy of us as one when i write that i love you. i truly do. and i hold (at all times) the vision in my heart/mind/soul of you—of us—as beautiful, balanced, joyful, healthy, vibrant and thriving beings.

 enjoy…

“…eventually it can lead us to compassion for everyone, when we see how we all must struggle with the downside of human nature. everyone is crippled in some area, and everyone is somewhere on the path of evolution, some ahead of us and some behind. in the steps we have walked are the old lessons of life, and before us are new teachings.

there is nothing to feel guilty about and nothing to blame. there is no one to hate, but there is that which is better avoided, and such blind alleys will become increasingly apparent. everyone has chosen his own level of consciousness, yet nobody could have done otherwise at any given point in time. we can only get “there” from “here.” every leap has to have a platform from which to originate. pain exists to promote evolution; its cumulative effect finally forces us in a new direction, though the mechanism may be very slow. …slowly, by inches, does civilization advance. …condemnation disappears with understanding, as does guilt. all judgment reveals itself to be self-judgment in the end, and when this is understood a larger comprehension of the nature of life takes its place.

that which is injurious loses its capacity to harm when it is brought into the light. and now nothing need remain hidden. every thought, action, decision or feeling creates an eddy in the interlocking, interbalancing, ever-moving energy fields of life, leaving a permanent record for all of time. this realization can be intimidating when it first dawns on us, but it becomes a springboard for rapid evolution.

in this interconnected universe, every improvement we make in our private world improves the world at large for everyone. we all float on the collective level of consciousness of mankind, so that any increment we add comes back to us. we all add to our common buoyancy by our efforts to benefit life. what we do to benefit life automatically benefits all of us because we are all included in that which is life. we are life…

simple kindness to one’s self and all that lives is the most powerful transformational force of all. it produces no backlash, has no downside, and never leads to loss or despair. it increases one’s own true power without exacting any toll. but to reach maximum power such kindness can permit no exceptions, nor can it be practiced with the expectation of some selfish reward. and its effect is as far reaching as it is subtle.

in a universe where “like goes to like” and “birds of a feather fly together,” we attract to us that which we emanate. consequences may come in an unsuspected way. we are kind to the elevator man, and a year later a helpful stranger gives us a hand on a deserted highway. an observable “this” does not cause an observable “that.” instead, in reality, a shift in motive or behavior acts on a field which then produces an increased likelihood of responding in a positive way. our inner work is like building up a bank account, but one from which we cannot draw at will. the disposition of the funds is determined by a subtle energy field which awaits a trigger to release this power back into our own lives.

dickens’ a christmas carol is the story of all our lives. we all are scrooge. we are all tiny tim. all of us are both selfish and lame in some areas. we are all victims like bob cratchit, and we are all as indignantly moralistic as mrs. cratchit refusing to toast scrooge. the ghost of christmas past haunts all of our lives; the spirit of christmases to come beckons us all to make the choices that will enhance both our own existence and that of others…

all avenues of questioning lead to the same ultimate answer. the discovery that nothing is hidden and truth stands everywhere revealed is the key to enlightenment about the simplest practical affairs and the destiny of mankind. in the process of examining our everyday lives we can find that all our fears have been based on falsehood. the displacement of the false by the true is the essence of healing of all things visible and invisible.

…and always a final question will eventually arise for every questioner—the biggest question of all: ‘who am i?’……”

 

i love the {simultaneously} unornamented, yet multifarious nature of these types of questions. more-so; i love that if we push our mind’s chatter aside, we each know exactly who we are (even if it’s a distant and silent recognition, lost and unaware).
we know what is good and what is true.
we recognize connection.
we embrace community.
awakened.
unified.

“power is total and complete in itself and requires nothing from outside itself. it makes no demands; it has no needs. because force has an insatiable appetite, it constantly consumes. power energizes, gives forth, supplies and supports. power gives life and energy. force takes these away. we notice that power is associated with compassion and makes us feel positively about ourselves. force is associated with judgment and makes us feel badly about ourselves.”
—d. hawkins

take in a powerful day,
c.