The OK Way by The Ok Way

ASSURANCE FOR THE DISSILLUSIONED JeweEl Arla Casey Rachel Casey

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All Going To Be OK!

JeweEl, Arla Casey, Rachel Casey Copyright ÂŠ 2014 by JeweEl, Arla Casey, Rachel Casey Published by The Ok Way INC. For information, contact: The Ok Way Keswick, Ontario L4P2R4 www.theokway.com To report errors, please send a note to info@theokway.com. Production Editor - Jeff Hamilton Copyeditor and Proofer - Carolyn Rapson Cover Production - interactive-medium.com

Notice of Rights All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, pho- tocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The Publishers/Authors reserve the right of approval for any portion of The Ok Way to be used for monetary gain. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact info@theokway.com

ISBN 9781927411292 Printed in Canada by

Medical Disclaimer The authors of this book do not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician. The intent of the authors is only to offer information of a personal and a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your right, the authors and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Table of Contents I Dedication II Acknowledgements III Preface IV Introduction Section 1

“It Already Is and You Already Are Chapter I - What Is Really Going On? Chapter 2 - Processing Information. Chapter 3 - In The Beginning. Chapter 4 - More On Energy Vibration. Chapter 5 - Beyond Belief is Conscious Awareness. Chapter 6 - The Storyidentity. Chapter 7 - More Of The Story. Chapter 8 - Choosing Your Vibration. Chapter 9 - Work Page. Q & A Exercises Conclusion: JeweEl Section 2

“Life’s a Trip Chapter 1: Chapter 2: Chapter 3: Chapter 4: Chapter 5: Chapter 6: Chapter 7: Chapter 8:

- Crazy Talk - Do You Really Want to Know? - Boarding Call - He Who Has the Question(s) - Good Vibrations - The “Right” Question - Trippin’ Out - Relief: Belief with Benefits The Sensual Solution: (Application Exercises) Chapter 9: - Pack Your Bags Arla Section 3

“The World Is?”

Introduction: Chapter 1: - The World is Black or White Chapter 2: - The World is (_______) Chapter 3: - The World is Gray and Black and White:

Rachel

Acknowledgements First, I will remember that all the named and unnamed people are Source as Form. I acknowledge that many people I deemed negative and unhelpful turned out to be my greatest teachers. I would like to name a few and thank them for walking along with me: Jim, my late husband of forty-three years; my two daughters Laurie and Donna; my grand-daughter Lynea; and my sons-in-law, Keith, Graham, and Jerry. Finally, I would like to thank my cohorts on this project, Arla and Rachel, as well as my friends Jan, Tony C., and Carolyn. Without us all having a collective commitment to remember, I believe this book would never have taken form.

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Preface: SURPRISE! You are not alone. Twenty percent of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population is on the same journey as you, trying to find common sense answers to some of lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most basic questions. Each journey is different, with opportunities to be enlightened through the revelations which are contained in every life experience. This is a process of awakening, of accepting a new yet ancient reality that is discussed from not one, but from three generations of points of view and beliefs. It is not by accident that you have picked up this book as the Wisdom that is found within is revealing. Be prepared to see life from a different perspective. If you have been on a spiritual journey for some time, this book may bring peace of mind as it will likely confirm many of your own beliefs. It does not seek to determine if the glass is half full or half empty, but rather, it simply accepts that it is as it is. Tony C.

Introduction: Today most humans are living their lives in a modern, physically developed world while still in the primitive mental state of being Consciously Unaware of their true nature and identity. When the human form remembers that it is the Conscious Awareness of Source as Form, there will be an understanding that any apparent difference or separation from any other form is an illusion. However, simply being mentally aware is not enough; action is required. Humans must treat everyone and everything with the relevant respect arising from the knowledge that they are always relating to Source as Form - no matter how it appears. When this Conscious Awareness is consistently applied to all without exception, this Consciously Aware Form will mentally and physically experience the faster vibrations we know as love, joy, and peace. When these vibrations are continuously experienced, it can now be said that this particular Form has attained the fastest vibrational state physically possible to experience: enlightenment.

Section 1

“It Already Is and You Already Are

JeweEl

Chapter 1:

What is really going on?

ear Reader: I am hoping that you picked up this book because of the title and because you are curious as to how I have come to make such a claim. Over the years, as I watched the level of fear in the minds of myself and others increase, I was compelled to ask myself, “What the heck is going on? Why is there still so much pain and suffering in the world?” You, as well, may be seeking the answers to these questions. At one point, I could clearly see that all of humankind’s efforts to bring a state of peace to the world were failing miserably. The people for whom I voted and whom I believed to be in charge of running things seemed unable to make any permanent changes in the ills plaguing society. I am not blaming the politicians. I believe that many of society’s problems lie in the design of the monetary system and the system that we use to govern ourselves. I understand that, right now, those are the systems they have at their disposal. But if they turned their attention towards repairing the design flaws in the system, rather than looking for flaws in each other or for ways by which to increase financial gains for a select few at the expense of others, maybe all citizens could have a more joy-filled life experience. During my young married life I didn’t have a peaceful household and continually swinging between feeling happy and sad was certainly upsetting. I also found the feeling of romantic love very difficult to maintain. I observed many others around me jumping through personal hoops while searching for and trying to keep this illusive, promised love alive. I noticed that, for some mysterious reason, this kind of love did not appear to be available to everyone although, on some level, I knew the experience of loving and being loved was meant to be a universal experience. I also discovered that, no matter your behaviour or desire, you couldn’t make someone love you or treat you with respect. This led to my totally accepting the fact that I was powerless to change or control the behaviour of another. I began to focus all of my attention on reducing the level of fear in my own mind along with discovering how to control and change my own behaviour. I was determined to have this promised peace, joy, and love for myself, no matter what. Thus began my personal 40-year journey towards understanding exactly what was going on with this world and me. I became a so-called ‘seeker of truth’. I jumped onto the path towards enlightenment with both feet! This section of the book does not focus on the story of my journey. Instead, it is an attempt to share with you the awareness-expanding information that has finally given

me peace of mind and a joy for living. Rest assured that you will not be asked to give up such things as swearing, drinking, drugging, or sex; this awareness-expanding process is not about moral rightness. But rather, it is simply about being guided to question the long-held, limiting beliefs that you hold, both about yourself and others. If it is your heart’s desire to experience a life of peace, joy, and harmony, let’s begin by questioning two of humankind’s foundational beliefs: FIRST: We are separate individuals. SECOND: We are a power unto ourselves, we make things happen, and we have control of our own destiny. I would like to propose that it is the tight hold we have on these beliefs that has put us into and keeps us in the pain-filled, competitive state in which we find ourselves today. First, I must acknowledge that, for about 1% of the world’s population, clinging to and acting upon these two particular beliefs appears to be working. The current media practice of presenting a picture of the happy, powerful person living a charmed existence is what has kept the rest of us ever hopeful that we too may “have it all”. I am also sure that, if we got an honest, inside look at what their lives were really like, we might find that some of this 1% is also discontent and looking for love, joy, and peace of mind, even while living in the midst of this apparently charmed existence. Some may also be wondering if that is all there is to life. Peggy Lee asked this question in a song. The answer she gave was to “just keep on dancing, break out the booze and have a ball.” It seems to me that many people are still trying to make Peggy’s suggested solution work, ever hopeful of having a fun, happy, ball of a life. I know from personal experience that, at some point, this ‘life is a party’ attitude ends; the reality that life isn’t all fun and games finally sets in. This reality adjusted my belief system; rather than letting this thought depress me, I would just grow up, be responsible, and take charge. It wasn’t very long before I discovered that me being in charge of my life wasn’t working, either. I was running out of things to do that I thought would make me have a happy life experience. I was desperate; I really didn’t know what to do anymore. I had sought the counsel of professionals, read all the appropriate books, lamented for hours about how unhappy I was, and sought advice from anyone who would listen. I tried all of their suggestions, but nothing worked. One day, I said, “OK. I give up. I surrender.” I felt totally powerless. I started to give myself my usual pep talk and was totally shocked when I found myself face down on the floor weeping and wailing, crying out, “GOD HELP ME!” I was shocked because, years before, I had dismissed the information that the formal church had to offer me. I decided then and there that I would give God another 12

chance. I would go back to my childhood church because “a church is where God and His help is”, right? Talk about the Lord working in mysterious ways! I found what I needed, not in the sanctuary, but in the Friendship Room at that church. A nondenominational group was formed and we began a year-long study of a newly published book called A Course in Miracles (A.C.I.M.). I can honestly say that the journey of expanding my inner awareness truly began at that point. This book became my Bible, never leaving my side for ten years. I found the book’s writing style difficult to read with my 10th grade education, but I don’t think this is why it took me so long to finish absorbing the information in it. I believe that it was the content that was problematic. It told me that I was “the light of the world” instead of the sinner which I had determined myself to be. It is important to note that the physical writer of A Course In Miracles always referred to herself as the scribe; she never claimed authorship of the content. The very process by which the information appeared in her mind led her to this conclusion. At this very moment, you may also have the same kind of resistance going on in your mind. Hopefully you will not put this book down, as many did with A.C.I.M. I am sure that, if I had not had the year-long study group to support me through my learning, I too would have given up. I mistakenly believed that the language and writing style were too difficult for me to master. It never occurred to me that I was resisting what the book was helping me to understand about myself. My co-authors and I are aware that the information presented here requires discussion and contact with others who have a similar interest. It is for this reason that we suggest you form a support study group around this book or that you find out how you can keep in touch with us, for it is our intention to keep ourselves available to you in one form or another as you go through this process of awareness expansion.

“"It is As it Is”"

Chapter 2:

Processing Information

oday in our western culture, we say that the definition of insanity is for one to continue doing the same thing over and over, all the while expecting a different result. I would redefine this definition of insanity by suggesting that it is the sustained mental belief behind a repetitive physical action that is really the root of the problem. Humankind collectively holding onto the core belief that each person is a separate entity, alone and in charge of oneself, is what generates society’s insane, pain-provoking behaviour towards another. It is clearly futile for us to expect to have a peace-filled life when we believe this and are acting accordingly. Even changing our actions by treating others kindly is only a ‘temporary fix’ as we soon return to the behaviour that supports and maintains the core belief that some people are better than others and that there are ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’. The actions we take to defend our beliefs range from shunning people (not associating with them) to personally killing them, to government- sponsored war waged on a so-called ‘enemy’ who simply believes something different. This destructive behaviour is maintained and supported by the belief that some of us are ‘sons of God’ and others are ‘sons of the Devil’. Uncovering the core reason for our behaviour is not important, as I once believed. Faultfinding or seeking to understand it does not assist in the expansion of conscious awareness. At this time, I would like to draw your attention back to the two fundamental beliefs that I mentioned in chapter one by asking you two direct questions: “Do you believe that you are a separate being, in charge of yourself, and responsible for your own life and experiences? Do you agree that the human life experience is meant to contain stress, pain, and suffering along with moments of happiness?” If the answers to these two questions are, “Yes!” then I would ask how this has been working for you? I suspect that, if you are reading this book and being honest, the answer is, “Not very well.” In the past, I also answered “yes” to these two questions. I was determined to figure out why life wasn’t working out the way I wanted it to. Over a long period of time spent soul searching, I came to the conclusion that my personal problem was that I was not in charge of my life. I found that this so-called power to control my own behaviour and life circumstances directly aligned with my thinking, and my thinking solidified my belief system. But when I was told that I had the power to change my

beliefs just by changing my thinking, I gave up trying to change my life circumstanc es along with all attempts at shifting the behaviour of others to meet my satisfaction. I decided that I would bring about change in my life from the inside out. I launched into a dedicated programme popularly known as, “Doing my inner work.” Unknowingly I had entered into what A Course in Miracles calls, the ‘seek but do not find’ phase which led into what is sometimes called ‘the dark night of the soul.’ I spent many years wandering around inside my mind, questioning what I believed. I repeated affirmations that were contrary to my personally held beliefs about myself (many of which were subconscious), ever hopeful for a change from negative thinking to positive thinking. This switch, of course, would subsequently produce the ever elusive but much sought after happiness and peace of mind. I questioned why I believed something and how I had come to believe it. I wanted to find out who was to blame for teaching me to believe it in the first place. I tried to comfort my sad and hurt inner child, tried bringing understanding and happiness to the raging angry inner teen, and constantly gave pep talks to my confused, fearful inner adult. I continually asked myself how I felt about these inner discoveries, only later to be consciously aware that none of what I came to understand produced the intended result of having a life of peace. I discovered that I could only temporarily think myself into or out of anything. I came to understand that it was the life experiences I had that founded my beliefs, and it was my thoughts about these experiences that determined my emotional state.

“"Ask What Am I?"

Chapter 3

In the Beginning

ource/God created this universe and everything in it, both seen and unseen. Source created a world where It could be a physical Form and relate to other unique forms of Itself at the fast vibrational level of peace. In order for Source to fulfill this purpose (the creation of this peaceful interactive physical world), it was necessary for Source to forget Its true identity and the magnitude of Its creative power. When Source energetically became human, its physical vibrational state slowed down. It was no longer aware of Its true nature as SOURCE AND CREATOR OF ALL and had forgotten Its Life purpose which was to mentally and physically experience the fast vibration of peace while interacting with all forms of Itself. Being mentally unaware of this intended result led the human form to falsely believe that it was a separate entity detached from its Creator and every other creation. It is this belief in being a separate and detached entity that fosters the idea that this is a world of duality along with the unpleasant vibrational feelings of loneliness and not belonging to any group. I believe that, for many teens, this is the basis for thinking, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I must be adopted.â&#x20AC;? The desire to be connected to another emerges and this Form begins seeking to belong and interact with another, hence the human marriage ceremony which emerges with its fervent hope that this new special feeling of connectedness will last a lifetime. For many, this fulfilling feeling is only temporary and the search for another begins again. This constant effort to connect with another signals that this particular Form is Unaware that it is Source and that being energetically disconnected from anything is an impossibility. When this Form is Consciously Aware of this reality, the constant needy seeking to connect will end. It is a proven scientific fact that energy never leaves its source. This life energy was in an unknowable state (as Source) before it took form as this universe. You might think of Life energy continuously flowing in a circular fashion, as energy can never be destroyed. Source continually births from Formless to Form and back again. This Life energy appears to flow forward from our linear point of view and in its physically active stage we say that Source as Form is alive. It is when circumstances align and the Life energy appears to recede that we say this particular Form is dead and its Life is over. This apparent linear movement of energy fosters the idea of Time/Space with its

designation of a past, present, and future rather than seeing this movement as a continuous never ending cycle. This apparent Life to Death cycle also suggests that the body/form is a container for the Life energy, similar to the way in which a separately manufactured tin is a container for such things as cookies. This is not an accurate assumption. The body is merely a denser part of Life energy with the internal pre-designed ability to produce a new life. When life energetically separates from the body in death and returns to its original formless state, the body remains physically present to become nourishment for other life forms. Understanding this intentionally created design for the body after death instills an appreciation of the true value of the decomposing Form which naturally supports and sustains this Created world in its present state.

"Source Is Everything Seen And Unseenâ&#x20AC;?"

Chapter 4:

More on Energy Vibrations

t this time, I would like to refer to the literary work of Source as Form, known as David Hawkins, and Its book called Power vs. Force. I found the Map of Consciousness very helpful in understanding human emotions. Source calibrated and named the vibrational speeds of seventeen different emotions: the faster vibrations range from 250 through to 700 – 1000 (the state of enlightenment). It is believed by many that Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed are examples of humans attaining the vibration of enlightenment. The range of slower vibrations named are pride, anger, desire, fear, grief, apathy, guilt, and shame. The faster vibrations include peace, joy, love, reason, acceptance, willingness (to see things differently), neutrality, and courage. Source (also known as David Hawkins) considers courage to be the lynchpin between the slower and faster vibrations. I believe that this courage refers to one’s willingness to face one’s own foibles while having the heart’s desire to be Consciously Aware. At birth, the human infant and any other newborn, for that matter, is already vibrating at the speed of love, the same vibration as a wagging dog’s tail or a cat’s purr, according to David Hawkins’s calculations. When one is in their presence, they have the opportunity of experiencing the vibrations of love, joy, and peace. I believe that it is their quality of innocence and their inability to do us any harm in that moment that contribute to our mentally and physically experiencing the fast vibration called love. If one is not experiencing this loving vibration, I think it is safe to say that the mind is interfering by thinking something else, usually a judgmental thought, thus missing out on this bliss-filled opportunity. This mismatched judgmental vibration continues to support the belief that one is separate and alone. Whenever one sees others as innocent or trusting, knowing that they will not be hurtful, one has the opportunity to interact and experience the faster vibrations of love, joy, and peace. It is this heartfelt longing to love and be loved that is one of the most important components in this process of expanding one’s level of Conscious Awareness. Just having the desire and willingness in your heart to mentally and physically experience this fast vibrational energy is a beginning. Humankind has determined that there are many kinds of love: affectionate love for family and close friends; love of nature including mankind; patriotic love of country; and the one most sought after by many called romantic love. A.C.I.M. teaches that these different kinds of love are not really love but ‘specialness’. Specialness is identified when there exists the possibility of switching the experience to the opposite vibration called hate. Also, this specialness always includes a degree of

sacrifice of which compromise is a part. Many a person believes that to love means to sacrifice, especially mothers. In the preceding context, when you tell someone that you love them, what you are really are saying is: “I love the way I feel when I am around you or even when I am just thinking about you.” This special vibration is all about the way you experience being treated and the way you relate to one another each time you interact. The Commandment to LOVE ONE ANOTHER came with an implied second half which is ALL INCLUDED. If you are basing your definition of love on the specialness model, including everyone in that model of love would be impossible; I am sure that most people feel indifferent towards or hate at least one other person. I believe that experiencing love for all is only possible when one understands and acts upon the concept that all Forms visible and invisible are Source. Once I personally had the desire and the willingness to have this universal loving experience, applying the Oneness concept to every interaction became this Form’s daily function. I gave up trying to understand and change others, and I no longer sought fun and happiness and being in love as a way of life. However, simply knowing and remembering this information is not enough. It is all about the application of it. When I say “application”, I am not talking about doing something! It is the storyidentity/Ego that needs something to do; it is through physical and mental action that the Ego establishes the illusion of a personal control. I am referring to being. Being is the emotional state of peace where the mind has expanded to the point of knowing the truth of oneness, and one goes about one’s daily life keeping this Awareness in the forefront of the mind and acting accordingly. This is where the saying, “simple but not easy” can be applied. For myself, I have developed a simple reminder that helps keep ‘my’ Awareness expanded. When I find myself in a situation where I am experiencing one of the slower vibrations such as anger or fear, it is because I want the situation to be different and I still believe that I have a personal control. This vibration is a signal that I have forgotten what these other Forms really are and that I am not simply letting the situation be as it is. At these moments, I discreetly bring the tips of my first finger and thumb together forming the universal symbol for OK. This action reminds me once again that the Form with which I am interacting is Source. Hopefully at this point, I am also able to remember that I, too, am the Conscious Awareness of Source as Form, not just a separate individual trying to get its own way. A word of caution, however: sometimes you will meet people who just want things to stay the way they are, even if you can see that they are clearly suffering. Resist the temptation to become their saviour! Your speaking out may just confuse or con found them and create an argument. This is not your place: there 19

is nothing to fix. Remember that, in this instance, Form is merely unaware of what it is. This situation is already being looked after; just focus your attention on your own thinking and actions for that is where the power for all to have a different life experience lies. Through the writings of Source as Form called William Samuel, I came to understand that it initially must be a daily practice to keep all thoughts and actions aligned with the following statements: FIRST: There is but a single Source and power. SECOND: All visible and invisible forms in this universe are this Source and power, no matter how it appears. I am often asked if these statements are the truth. I reply that I do not know. Not only do I not know, but proving them is also impossible. But I have observed that, when people adopt and continually live according to these practices, there is an observable shift away from pain and aggravation to a more peaceful and joyful life. I find it a great comfort to know that the human heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire to have a peace- and joy-filled life can be experienced by everyone, no matter their so-called station in society or their level of formal education.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;"There is no Becomingâ&#x20AC;?"

Chapter 5

Beyond Belief is Conscious Awareness

t is when reaching the vibrational level of awareness that each particular Form can be said to be Consciously Aware and have an inner knowing that “It is all going to be OK!” Being Consciously Aware of the singularity of all helps one to resist the human practices of judging, criticizing, and blaming another, as there is no other. With this awareness, competition is also recognized as counter productive. This helps illustrate the teaching from A Course in Miracles that states “What I give to you I also give to myself.” It stands to reason then that what I withhold from you, I also withhold from myself. When I finally attained adult status, I believed that I should get to do exactly what I wanted. But the feeling of powerlessness that I had experienced in childhood resurfaced. True power eluded me, and I ultimately came to the conclusion that having personal control was only an illusion. Trying to gain it was an exercise in futility. Once I had arrived at this awareness, I began to question just where were the source and control of this power. I had come to believe that there is a creative cause to this universe, an unknowable intelligence which I call the Source or the Creator that had set everything in motion. I could see that nature seemed to be on a predetermined, automatic cycle. Humans appear to be the only form able to manipulate this natural system. We have the power to change the world’s forms; and we can temporarily interfere with the laws of nature, giving us the illusion that we are in charge. For example, designing and producing the parachute enabled us to override the law of gravity. As people continue to challenge nature’s power, we are given the opportunity to create new and wondrous inventions, thereby advancing the technological components of the world. No matter what we do, however, as depicted in the movie “World Without People”, it doesn’t take very long for all evidence of things produced and constructed by Source as the human Form to disappear. This single creative energy is vibrating at different speeds and produces degrees of intensities, which gives it the appearance of being many separate and different forms. But it is not! The hand and the tree are both Source as Form. One of the reasons we cannot put our hand through a tree is because of the difference in vibrational speeds. Each time the hand touches another form, it is actually Source touching Source. This vibrating energy is what we humans refer to as life energy. It is both physically felt and emotionally experienced. All movement of the body indicate the presence

of this energy. Anytime this energy is undetectable we determine this Form to be dead, but in reality, this ever-active eternal energy is merely changing form once again. I also believe that every human Form has the mental capability to expand and restrict Its Consciousness. The ability to keep the mind in a state of denial, no matter how strong the proof to the contrary, is the method used to delay expanding the Conscious Awareness. Eventually, painful life circumstances will force us to remember that our true nature is Source as Form, whereas resisting this memory simply continues the vibrational state of suffering a little longer. We can think of this Awareness-expansion process as learning life’s lessons in different ways. Firstly, human Forms learn from having direct personal experience and observation. We also learn through the process called formal education, learning indirectly from another’s experiences and observations. The young child’s constant questioning “Why?” after we make a seemingly knowledgeable statement is an example of the human mind seeking to be more Consciously Aware. It has been demonstrated that the longer this curious wondering and questioning exists beyond childhood, the more enjoyable the life experience seems to be. It was when my wondering moved beyond wanting to understand the physical world as a child does that my inner discoveries got really interesting. I began questioning my personal beliefs and behaviour when I consciously admitted that I was powerless and didn’t have any idea as to the action to take next. I discovered something amazing: Behind the chattering thinking process, this Form had an all-knowing, silent inner guidance system which is available to all. This silent knowing just seemed to drop into the mind whenever I internally admitted that I was powerless and asking for help. It is good to remember here that the intended result of any internal Source guidance is for the particular Form to Be Consciously Aware; it is not to help the storyidentity/Ego get what it wants, to achieve happiness or to remove pain. Understanding this scenario ‘put a whole new spin’ on what I had previously thought of as praying to God to help a personal ME have a nice life. The willingness to be Consciously Aware instead of wanting to be happy changed this Form’s direction.

Chapter 6:

The Story identity

he reason I have included this chapter is because I believe it is necessary to have a very good understanding about what the storyidienty/Ego really is. Many of us believe that the ‘Me’ personality is who we really are and that it owns the mind and body, as well as its many possessions. The following is presented to encourage all to ‘let go’ of mentally and physically maintaining this false idea. The process of being Consciously Aware and discovering the truth of WHAT you really are may seem like a daunting task. Up until now, all mental and physical experiences have played a major part in formulating your personal identity description. You may already have a solid identity; you may even be saying, “I know who I am!” But if you look closely, this description of who you think you are has constantly shifted over the years. I believe that this so-called personal identity is really just an historic record of the physical Form’s journey and life experiences that have occurred since birth. What you believe to be your personal ‘Me’ identity is just a story, a diary of sorts, recorded as memories in your mind, and does not identify WHAT you really are. At birth, the infant life form is thrust from the womb into the world and a different life experience begins; for the first time, a physical separation is experienced by the infant. While it was in the womb, the concept of self or another did not exist. Now the concept of a ‘You, having a personal separated ‘Me’ storyidentity begins forming in the mind, along with the story of there being another separate person called your caregiver (over there). The concept of a world of duality has begun; a world where we choose between THIS OR THAT and start determining which experiences are POSITIVE or NEGATIVE. The adult caregiver sometimes agrees to meet all of the physical needs for the infant and also, hopefully, to be a positive guide for its mental and emotional development. If the infant experiences this shower of loving, peaceful, and joyous energy, it lifts the quality of life experience beyond the realm of surviving to thriving. The foundational layer of the dual positive and negative belief system now gets personally activated. The childhood experience of saying or doing anything, judged as bad by others or itself, gets internalized and becomes the dominant “I am bad” part of its dual storyidentity. Any attacking words and violent actions of others towards us are seen as proof that our personal value assessment of unworthiness is true. And as we age, if we do not find another willing to play the role of judge and persecutor, we do it for ourselves in

many different ways and within a range of degrees. Often we sabotage ourselves on a subconscious level, for example, by not letting ourselves have something we truly want even when it is presented to us; on some level, we manage to mess up the opportunity. The foundation to have a life experience that supports this feeling of low self-esteem has been laid, no matter how well it is hidden, camouflaged, or misunderstood. On the other hand, if the childhood experience is mostly of a supportive and friendly nature, one’s personal value assessment is one of worthiness. For the most part, the life experiences of these Forms will have been of a positive nature. The result of negative, judgmental thinking and actions can be very detrimental to your physical and mental health. This low, self-evaluated opinion of oneself is what influences the vibrational speed of the body and many have come to believe that it has much to do with your state of mental and physical health. The work done by Louise Hay in her small book entitled Heal Your Body supports this view. Many will argue saying, “I don’t have low self-esteem.” “I judge myself to be just great.” As I mentioned before, I personally believe that it is impossible for the storyidentity to get through childhood without forming some degree of this negative/low opinion, as the very construction of the storyidentity is of a dual nature and whichever opinion of oneself is dominant, a matching vibrational life experience occurs. Just know that it is when the storyidentity is feeling powerless due to life’s circumstances and the cry for help is made internally, the willingness to be Consciously Aware has begun. I also believe that the ‘not quite good enough’ feeling many human Forms experience emanates from a long lost inner knowing that something is missing, something is not quite right. The feeling of longing for something long forgotten originates in the heart; to me, this explains mankind’s determined search for that one special person to interact with and love. Even if we have never had the vibrational experience of being loved, we somehow have this internal awareness of its existence. Fortunately for the human race, the awareness and memory of what was forgotten has been retained in all of our life-filled cells. It is this heartfelt longing for the forgotten fast vibrations that is paramount in the human’s quest to be Consciously Aware of What it is and Why it is here. The individual form is already familiar with this loving vibration because it was experiencing it at birth.

Further Understanding of the Story Identity The storyidentity seems to have three different faces: 1. A public face that we openly show to the world. 2. A private face that we show to some people close to us. 3. A secret face that nobody gets to see except maybe our closest confidant: someone we trust not to hurt us by telling our secrets. Each of these types is two-faced. At one time the faces may appear in a sweet, positive, and kindly manner while in the next moment they may be negative, nasty, and hurtful. In the past, it was fairly easy to keep these separate faces hidden. We closely monitored our behaviour and speech. We were the only ones privy to all of the different faces and possible actions of our unique personality. It was my acknowledgement of having these apparently separate faces that left me trying to determine which was the real ‘Me’. In today’s world, something new has been added. In the courtroom and police work, we have been made aware of the art of profiling. It seems that if we are aware of a person’s life experiences or actions we can build a pretty accurate model as to how they will behave or even vote, giving us the opportunity to take advantage of the situation (by stacking the deck in our favour) at a trial, when doing an opinion poll or selecting a mate, etc. The misbehaviour of abused children is no longer a surprise. I want to say here that there are always exceptions, as people do have the ability to select a different vibrational life experience. Please note that I didn’t say change; I said select. (More about this later.) With the advent of the computer, along with tracking and monitoring devices, the practice of having a private and secret identity gets harder and harder. Soon all will be known to all, and the game of weaving, expressing, and keeping separate secret identities will be almost impossible. The storyidentity totally relies on privacy to ‘spin’ and maintain its false illusions. In my opinion, this explains today’s rabid defense of one’s right to privacy. Take heart as we begin to understand the true affect of denying the oneness of all. The need for privacy will subside; so too will the practices of judging, criticizing, and blaming another to make him wrong and to appear superior and justify our taking advantage. Whenever you find yourself in an unpleasant vibrational (emotional) state, it just means that, for a moment, you have simply forgotten about the One Source. Each time you practice this concept and treat all involved, including yourself, as though the One Source concept were true, a mental shift will happen and the physical vibration or feeling experienced will be of a faster nature. Do not worry about what others are doing! This is not your concern. The Conscious Awareness system is designed to take care of this. 25

Being constantly aware of the oneness of all, in all situations, is the place to focus your attention. Adopt the awareness that the physical hands, feet, and mouth that you claim as yours are not really yours. They are Source as Form having a physical experience, while relating to Itself in all of the other Forms. What I really am saying is that the concept of a separate and power-filled you is not true; this is where mankind is making the identity error. Remember that the emotions being felt are real; they are just not yours. The experiences are real; they are also not personally yours. All of it is really Source as Form feeling and experiencing life in human Form, and it always has been. The concept of billions of Source Forms having distinct and unique experiences from individual points of view is rather mind-boggling. However, when Form in the state of mental unawareness moves beyond the storyidentity/ egoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s constant need for proof and just begins acting towards others as though it were true, the vibrational peace we seek to experience will prevail. The possibility of it being true is hard to accept.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;"There is no distance between you and wisdomâ&#x20AC;?"

Chapter 7

More of the Story

p until now, humankind has been questioning its true nature leaving it wondering: “Who am I? Where did I come from? And why am I here?”

Discovering and proving how it all began has been the focus of science for some time. This search has led from ‘the big bang theory’ to the work being done today with the Hadron collider at the CERN in Geneva, Switzerland. This work has lead to the discovery of the so-called ‘God Particle’ which seems to prove that all natural substances in our universe are produced from one kind of particle originating from a single Source. Each and every unique form that has appeared is this creative energy vibrating at a specific rate, creating the illusion of many different types of energy from several different sources, some positive and some negative. As we humans view the different animals, vegetation, and minerals of this world, it is hard to believe that they are all just different forms of this single creative energy. The very concept that everything in our universe was created by, and is constantly being maintained and experienced by this unobservable Source, is belief shaking. Studying the shifting cycles of nature has been mankind’s scientific learning curve. With all of this newly discovered knowledge, Source as Form energetically proceeded to mix, match, and divide earth’s natural properties, producing an ever-expanding array of so called Man Made products such as phones, cars and planes etc... These constructed inventions can temporarily affect the created natural systems, e.g. speeding up the weather system as in global warming or slowing things down as in the case of natural decomposition. It is important to be Consciously Aware that Source is the creative power or cause of everything; anything seen or unseen by humans in this universe is merely the effect of this cause. Source as Human Form has not retained the awareness of being this creative power. Most of us will acknowledge that nature’s world-wide power is uncontrollable, and as we expand our Conscious Awareness of the workings of nature, we may realize that it is time to let nature be and begin working and living within the ebb and flow of its natural design. However, scientific progress/knowledge for constructing all the new and wondrous products is not enough. Gaining an understanding of the physical workings of this world does not facilitate the change in human behaviour that is needed to bring about the desire of many to experience the vibration stemming from world peace.

On that note, would you now be willing to look differently at your personal beliefs in order to expand your Conscious Awareness? I ask this question because courage and willingness (fast vibrations) are key components in the process of expanding the Awareness. As you consciously focus the attention on this system of thinking (that everything is Source as Form), you bring your attention into the realm of Conscious Awareness. And as your personal point of view or perspective begins to shift, you will no longer need to judge others to appear superior but rather will remember that they, too, are Source as Form. It is most important to remember that this is a personal, individual exercise for each and every Form. Later, it will be important to recall how you experienced life before your awareness expanded. Remembering this will help you to be less verbal and more tolerant when you encounter other Forms still holding these same old, hurtful, limiting beliefs as they judge, criticize, and blame others for their personal or world situations. At stress-inducing events, you will have an opportunity to expand your newly acquired Conscious Awareness by remembering, “It is as it is.” Please note that there is an AS in the statement. Saying “It is WHAT it is” leaves things open to mental interpretation and not to the vibration of acceptance which is the state necessary to alter any pain-filled experience. Simply wanting a situation to be different can set off a cascade of anger which easily grows from annoyance to blind, murderous rage, and possibly violence, by mentally resisting the reality of that particular situation. By recalling “It is AS it is”, anger energy is now temporarily reduced by the change in your thought pattern, opening a gap for the reality of the situation to enter and the anger to subside. By the way, acceptance of the reality of the situation does not mean that it is condoned, nor that the experience is enjoyed. Also, it is very helpful to remember the phrase “This too shall pass.” This statement applies to all experiences as the Life system is designed to continuously be changing Form. Please note that this energy shift may only be temporary as it does not stop the MENTAL WANTING that arises from the slower vibration of desire. This ‘not getting what you want’ produces the experience of constantly being frustrated with a particular situation. There are several ways this constant frustration can be dealt with: it can boil up once again as anger and maybe this time escalate to a level of murderous rage; or you can simply tire of responding in anger and take this opportunity to shift tactics. If you take the action outward, you may put some distance between you and the perceived cause that is blocking you from getting what you want. Or, without doing some type of outward action, you may move inward and begin feeling powerless instead of frustrated. The process of giving up the fight slows down the vibrational level of life and can lead to the level called apathy. This is the stage where you have convinced yourself that you don’t care anymore about getting what you want. It appears that you have silenced the wanting; the frustration seems to have disappeared by accepting that you’re never going to have 28

what you want or experience life the way you want it to be. If this thought pattern is continued, a downward spiral can now set in, where feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and powerlessness put you in a vibrational state of mental and physical depression heading perilously close to death. Silencing this wanting is an unfortunate turn of events. Source, in the state of Unawareness “which you believe is you”, often uses this wanting as Its “get up and go” motivation to move Its body all the while acquiring Its basic physical needs and, hopefully, also getting some of the things It wants. Setting a personal goal to reach, (‘a wanting in disguise’), gives this Form a focus to keep in the forefront of Its mind while It selects from Life’s abundant choices of things to do. Hopefully, It will consciously pick actions that will bring the attainment of that goal closer to fulfillment rather than actions that will put It off course thus guaranteeing that It will fail to achieve Its goal. . Consciously expanding Awareness relies on listening to the chattering thoughts running through the mind and identifying the vibrational energy or pain-filled emotion that is being physically felt. These slower, more unpleasant emotions are the gifts that provide the clue that the thinking is out of alignment with the concept of Oneness; you have forgotten your true identity and have momentarily slipped back into believing the story of duality, thereby temporarily missing the possibility of experiencing the fast vibration of peace.

Chapter 8:

Choosing Your Vibration

This Form named JeweEl is now going to ask you an important question: WHAT IS IT THAT YOU REALLY WANT???

any of us have an instantaneous answer, but what I am looking for is an answer that you have really thought about for a time, even as long as a week. Before you begin thinking about your answer, I would like to give you some information that you may find helpful. First: Second: Third:

Life Energy Needs The Heart Desires The Mind Wants

Life energy physically needs air, water, food, shelter, and gentle tactile interaction with other Forms to physically survive. Through the very nature of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design, Source has provided all of the ways in which these needs will be met. It is Source in Its Unaware Mental State having forgotten the Oneness of All and the necessity to share natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s abundant resources that interferes with this master plan. I find it very interesting that only the first four basic needs listed above have been recognized by the United Nations as entitlements of all human beings. The fact that some people use physical isolation as a punishment tells me that human interaction is also known as a basic need, just not formally recognized. The practice of being sent to your room after misbehaving by families, as well as the prison system using solitary confinement as punishment, signals to me an acknowledgement of this need. Furthermore, it has been discovered that if healthy babies are simply given the four basic needs without the human tactile component they do not thrive and some even die. The human heart desires to experience the fast vibration called love. To love and be loved in return is part of our nature. Being aware of the need for this necessary vibration emanates from deep within the mental awareness where the memory of Oneness lies forgotten. The heart seeks someone or something to belong to and interact with to satisfy this painful emotional longing. When this special love connection is exclusive and all others are forsaken, the mental practice of judging, criticizing, and blaming this other may enter into the relationship; when this happens, maintaining this intense loving feeling is now nearly impossible. The wanting mind is active when Source as Form is in a state of mental unawareness. These wanting thoughts are first formulated in this unaware mind and then 30

verbally expressed or acted upon. This particular Form wants to experience the vibration of happiness which it pursues with vigour. Often the happiness vibration is fleeting. It is felt when Form first acquires the produced physical object (ie. stuff) after having been made aware of the object’s existence (ie. advertisement). The coveted objects may become damaged, old, obsolete, or just no longer hold one’s interest and the unhappy mind spins off in a new direction of wanting. As previously stated, the desires of the heart often suffer this same fate. Many of the modern objects that we desire are very useful in assisting mankind as it goes about gathering the physical abundance that Nature has provided for All. The use of these inventions often opens up time for leisure activities. Many objects are also used to elevate one’s social status. Being on society’s list of ‘people who have’ as opposed to being on its ‘have-not’ list is the goal of many people today. However, sometimes the unaware mind justifies elevating these wanted objects onto the list of physical needs, by believing that It just cannot live without this coveted thing, often resulting in inappropriate actions taking place. At this point, the action required to acquire these physical objects is misguided. They take on the vibration of urgency that was originally designed to provide the determined willingness to do whatever it takes to have water, food, etc. I believe that confusing this wanting with an actual physical need is the true motivation behind many addictions and criminal acts. This apparent ability we seem to have where we personally choose from the selection of objects to have, or action to do, is not really what is taking place. What is really happening is that we are selecting the physical, mental, and emotional vibrational speed we expect to experience as a result of the choice we have made. The vibration we actually experience is why we judge a particular selection to be positive or negative. If we have experienced the happy vibration, we place it in the ‘I liked it and will repeat it’ pile. If not, it goes in the ‘never to be done again’ pile. Each and every thought about anything produces a personal mental and physical vibration in your body. Also, your actions and verbal comments of judgment, criticism or praise have an affect on the vibrational experience of other forms. Words of praise can lift up someone’s mood and criticism can bring it down, but only if the intended recipient takes it to heart and internally agrees with your assessment. Also, pointing out to someone that, to your way of thinking, they have done something wrong, is a harmful practice. This making another wrong is really designed to elevate or maintain your superior status in this particular relationship, rather than to simply help the other person improve. This course-correcting practice is a fine line we must walk especially when raising children. I believe that constantly making them wrong about a myriad of things, no matter how good our intention, is the single most destructive component in the parent/child relationship. And if the parent continues this course-correcting, judgmental behaviour into adulthood, the relationship may become non-existent. This parent/child dynamic is an extensive subject with many variables that will be discussed at a later date. But I would like to address this topic as it relates to the couple relationship.

If, after the so-called ‘honeymoon stage’ of a couple relationship, one/both no longer see themselves as a strong single unit, with its loving, cocoon mindset of ‘us against the world’ and once again begins seeing himself/themselves as separate individuals, the supportive team dynamic then reverts back to a duality situation; this is where the destructive practice of judging the partner’s words or actions as wrong begins. The hidden motive behind this action is designed to establish one’s storyidentity as the superior or positive one of the couple. This judgmental kind of relationship may now enter into a destructive, argumentative stage. The mental effort and physical energy that is required to maintain this kind of relationship dynamic is exhausting and divisive. I would counsel you to put all of the effort used trying to make this a happy, loving relationship into being Consciously Aware that All Forms are Source; I want you to see your partner as Source as Form and act accordingly. This will bring an end to the pain-producing belief that one person can be superior to another. Good News! It is when the happy dream has turned into a nightmare that we have the perfect opportunity to practise being Consciously Aware at all times. What I believe is that you and I are, in reality, Source as Two Unique Human Forms having this relationship experience. It is the application of this concept to your thoughts and treatment of all Forms that awakens the Consciousness. What appeared to be a disastrous relationship may now be seen as a blessed opportunity, especially if you are willing to include your particular Form in this pain-filled scenario, that is being used to wake up the long forgotten memory of Oneness. I will now again ask the question a little differently: “What is it that you truly want?” WHAT SINGLE VIBRATION DO YOU, AS SOURCE AS FORM, WANT TO EXPERIENCE MOMENT TO MOMENT, MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY, IN THIS LIFETIME? After having read the material above, you may understand why the question has changed from, “What do you really want?” to “Which vibration does this Form desire to experience?” When your answer is the same today and tomorrow, ‘You’ may just get to experience the elusive, promised peace. And when you choose to experience one of the fast vibrations such as love, joy, or peace, ‘You’ will then be mentally assured and KNOW that . . . . . IT’S ALL OK! Following is a question and answer section to assist you in determining your answer.

Q.& A. Exercises

Points to Remember: There is one Source and, from the human mind’s point of view, it has knowable and unknowable components. The human animal that you think of as ‘You’ is really Source/God energy,temporarily in physical form. Everyone and everything (including all planets, stars, universes, etc.) is this Source Energy, in both visible and invisible forms. Source Energy has seven billion (and increasing) different human Forms, each with its own unique, limited viewpoint. The body is this life energy in a slow denser form, not simply a holding container which may seem to be the case as this denser body remains physical remains physical when it is no longer energetically animated or, as we say, dead. This physical Form now proceeds to change Form through the process of decomposition. The body is the point of contact at which Source Consciously relates physically to all the other manifested and unmanifested Forms of itself in this Source/God life adventure. When anything is physically touching anything in its natural state, be it in a cuddling, attacking, or neutral mode, it is always Source/ God interacting with Source/God as Form.

“"Do it OR Don't Do it”"

Questions: Q. 1 - What are you REALLY? A.

............................................................

Q. 2 - Why are you here? A.

...........................................................

Q. 3 - How would you describe the concept of Source? A.

...........................................................

Q. 4 - When You look out at the World, what are you really seeing? A.

...........................................................

Q. 5 - Is the Human Body a container for the Soul? A.

...........................................................

Q. 6 - What are you really touching when you shake someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand? A.

............................................................

Q. 7 - What single vibration do you want to experience moment to moment, emotionally, physically and mentally, in this lifetime? A.

............................................................

Source as the Form called . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .chooses to experience the vibration of: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................ ............................................................ 34

A final ‘good to know’: An individual Form’s fast vibration of peace has the ability and purpose of counterbalancing millions of slow vibrational, pain-filled thoughts and actions of other Forms. David Hawking

Blessings of Peace and Joy in your WILLINGNESS TO BE CONSCIOUSLY AWARE! JeweEl

www.theokway.com

Section 2

Life’s A Trip

Arla Casey

Acknowledgments Writing an Acknowledgment can be a tricky thing. There is always the worry that some of the very helpful and supportive people in the author’s life will be left out and feel slighted as a result. In the case of this book, it is actually the most difficult and challenging people and relationships that require the most by way of acknowledgment(s). Without these frustrating people and disappointing experiences this author would never have awakened from the dream of this life. For had not the ‘dream’ (experiences) frequently become so nightmarish, had it been a lovely dream of happiness and satisfaction who would ever choose to wake up? However, having said this this author would like to also acknowledge some of the many helpful and ‘positive’ people that have shared the stage with her in this great play we call Life. First, my partner and mentor, JeweEl. Her constant unconditional patience and support over the years have been invaluable. My daughter, Rachel (also a contributing author to this work) and son, Aidan, have proven to be two of my biggest teachers -- and best friends. Their open mindedness and continual willingness to listen to and accept each new belief and/or practice I shared with them are nothing short of incredible. And, finally, the many friends that also listened and challenged and accepted the ongoing changes this form went through during her awakening process and who continued to stay my friends -- thank you.

Chapter 1:

Crazy Talk It’s all going to be OK.

o what allows me to make this statement? What do I believe and/or know that enables me to offer such an assurance? What if you were to know the same things – and then adopt this same belief system? Would you also be able to make such a statement? Would you live a life not just hoping this is true but knowing this is true? What would your life be like if you knew for certain that everything was always going to be OK? And living a life from this perspective, would you then also be able to offer such certain assurance and comfort to others? Let’s see, shall we? What if I were to tell you that all the things you do and say don’t really have the meaning that you think they do? What if I were to add that you are here simply to have experiences, that your life experience here is like a trip to some foreign land? This is not your permanent home and you don’t have to stay here forever. When the trip is over you will go back to your real home – the place where you are always safe and secure. Would that relax you somewhat? Would that make the ‘trip’ easier to experience? Sometimes a trip goes really well; you like everything (or almost everything) about it. You enjoy the food, the accommodations, the journey to get there, etc…and you can’t wait to do it again. And sometimes a trip is a nightmare! Nothing goes right and you are so happy when it’s over and done with; so happy and relieved to get back home. Well, what if the life experience here was as simple as that? Would knowing that it’s only a trip give you some measure of peace and relief? Would knowing that life is simply meant to be a journey that ultimately always ends the same way for everyone and everything allow you to relax into the experience more and simply ‘go with the flow’ of whatever happens?

What if you lived a life from this perspective: -This is not your permanent home. -The time you spend here is temporary. -The experiences you have here are simply that – experiences, whether you enjoy them or not. -You can come and go here an infinite number of times and have a different experience each time. -When each experience is over, it’s over. The trip is over and you go back home. Does this sound crazy? Well, what if it were true? Or what if you simply chose to believe that this was true? And then, what if you lived a life here according to this belief system? Would it be worth examining the concept that life here is really just a temporary trip and everything that you do while you’re here is just part of the trip? Would you be willing to explore this if, at the end, you were able to know that it’s all going to be OK ?

“"In the Doing Comes the Knowing”"

Chapter 2 :

Do You Really Want to Know?

o, how does one do this? Well, the first step is being open to receiving and examining new ideas. (There’s a ton of information available that will provide greater depth to your understanding of the life experience here. If you would like to explore some of it, a recommended reading list has been provided at the end of this book.) It is crucial for you to explore the concepts listed below in order for the process to happen: - A question is the key to everything. - ‘What’ you are and ‘Why’ you are here. - Illusion and detachment. However, you need to know in advance that there will be more to it than this; more than just concepts. Simply obtaining information isn’t enough. There is a very old saying: “Education without application leads to frustration!” This is true in the area of physically doing anything. For example, let’s say you heard that meditation was an excellent way to relieve tension and stress and you wanted to use meditation as a form of stress-relief. If you were to simply read a book on how to meditate and then never sat down and tried to meditate, never applied any of the instructions/strategies you read about, it wouldn’t take very long for you to become frustrated and decide that meditation didn’t work. If you wanted to become more physically fit it wouldn’t be enough to simply read books and/or watch exercise videos. We all know that you actually have to get up and do something: join a gym or health club, go for a bike ride, or even just take a walk. It doesn’t matter. But in order to become more physically fit, you have to actually apply the information you’ve obtained about fitness and exercise. If, for instance, you had a sore back, it wouldn’t be enough to merely research the physiology of the spine and not do anything else. A trip to the doctor or chiropractor would be required in order to obtain relief from the pain. I’m sure you’re getting the point here. It’s the same with knowing that ‘it’s all going to be OK’. In order for you to know, to really know that it’s all going to be OK, once you have obtained information about it you’re actually going to have to do something. Once you have been exposed to the 40

ideas listed above you will then have to practise applying that information to your life experience. Like anything though, the more you practise, the more adept/proficient you will become. And the good news is that you won’t have to climb to the top of a mountain in Tibet or give up all of your worldly possessions or join a monastery. (Of course, you could if you wanted to. That could prove to be a really cool ‘trip’ experience!) It can be done right from your own living room, office, car, backyard, etc…

“"Never Take Advantage”"

Chapter 3:

Boarding Call

ypically, it is a desire for peace that gets things started; an internal sense that things really don’t have to be so stressful all the time. This longing for peace – or even for five minutes of relief – allows for a shift in thinking to occur. And it’s this shift in thinking that is the key to the whole process! For some people, the shift in thinking results simply from a desire to experience things differently. For others it is a total, face-down on the floor, “God help me!” cry for help. It is this small shift and/or desperate crying out that allows you to be open to receiving new information. Once this opening occurs, the opportunity is created for the shift in perspective to manifest. This is the beginning. Let’s pretend that you have now experienced this shift in thinking and you are now open and willing to receive/explore some ideas you may not have heard before.

Chapter 4:

He Who Has the Question(s) Questions. They are the key to everything.

rom the moment humans evolved to the point where they became self-aware and developed language, they began to ask questions. They have been asking questions ever since. There is a reason that asking questions is part of a human life experience in this dimension of physical form. The reason is linked to a realm of existence totally different from our own; a realm of the formless which is a field of endless possibilities. In this realm of the formless, endless field of possibilities, all things are possible. However, they cannot be fully experienced in the formless state. Therefore, the world of form manifested so this potential could be realized/utilized. But these possibilities require a catalyst before they can manifest. And that catalyst is a question. Questions and the results that manifest from them happen here in this dimension on a planet we call Earth. This is what makes questions so very important. The answer to everything is actually in the question. Think about this. All science, art, technology etc… is a direct result of someone having first asked a question. The potential for all of these things to manifest was there all along, dormant within the field of never ending possibilities, but they never would have existed if it weren’t for the question(s). A question, generated by the human mind, quite literally brought them into existence. Countless words have been written in response to this never ending stream of inquiry. Chief among the questions have been: Who or What am I? Why am I here? What is the purpose of life? Knowing the answers to these very basic questions will go a long way towards providing some of that much sought after and desperately needed relief from stress and fear. Answers to these questions will allow you tknow that, ‘it’s all going to be OK.’ Where shall we start? Well, let us begin by examining the age old question: “What am I?” You are energy. This basic statement of fact is the foundation needed to approach any other question a person may have. 43

Chapter 5 :

Good Vibrations Let us say a little about energy: Energy is. All life is energy. All energy vibrates.

he rate or speed at which something vibrates is its frequency. Everything is a vibrational frequency. Emotions/states of being are also vibrational frequencies -- as opposed to possessing a frequency.

Energy can never be destroyed. It can only be transformed from one form or type to another, from one vibrational frequency to another. The material world is simply energy vibrating at a certain frequency which allows it to manifest as form. Aside from determining and subsequently producing the actual physical forms of all things here in this dimension, vibrational frequencies also dictate thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Science has shown that all form here is comprised of molecules and that these molecules are constantly in motion, constantly vibrating. It is a specific combination of these vibrating molecules and the speed at which they vibrate that determine whether something here is a tree, rock, dog, human etc… What if the same is true of thoughts and emotions? What if thoughts, emotions, and beliefs are also vibrations? And what if we then explore them based on the speed at which they vibrate? The slower vibrations correspond to thoughts and feelings of: shame, anger, fear, guilt etc… The faster vibrations produce thoughts and feelings of: joy, harmony, peace, appreciation etc... As a result, our beliefs/perspectives and subsequent behaviour(s) are ‘born’ of these thoughts and feelings. This means that our beliefs/perspectives and behaviours are also vibrational frequencies. As vibrational energy forms, we register and are affected by all vibrational frequencies, including the vibrational frequencies of others.

Chapter 6:

The ‘Right’ Question

t is important to note here that the phrasing of the question is integral to the whole process.

Note that the question asked and answered a moment ago was: “What am I?” not, “Who am I?” This is very, very, very important! The question “Who am I?” is often seen as synonymous with the question, “What am I?” In fact, they are not the same. They are very different questions. It is quite possible to obtain an answer to both but the answers to these questions end up leading people down two very different experiential paths. If a person asks: “Who am I?” the answer to that question will lead to the belief in a separate identity. As a result, many ‘stories’ about life here will be created based upon that belief. And that belief will lead to a life experience based on the idea that you are the name you were given and the circumstances you were born into, etc… This is totally fine and a very valid part of the life experience here. If, however, one asks instead, “What am I?” the answer to that question leads to an entirely different life experience. Living from the ‘What’ am I belief system opens the doors to a life experience based on singularity and totality. This is a very different life experience from the one based on a belief in separateness and story identity. The next most frequently asked question is: “Why am I here?” and/or “What is the purpose of life/my existence?” The answer to this question is that you are here in order for energy to be utilized in a very specific way for a very specific reason. This world of form energy has a specific purpose and humanity plays a central role in fulfilling that purpose. The entire material world is energy, the energy of that formless field of endless possibilities. Put another way: the entire material world is varying degrees of Source Energy as form. And entire means ENTIRE. There is nothing here that is NOT Source Energy as form. It simply isn’t possible for anything to be anything other than this -- not even thoughts. Human beings share this same foundation with everything else here: birds, trees, rocks, furniture, etc… Where humans differ is that we have the ability to become conscious of this fact. This ability is the key to everything. It is, in fact, the sole element that will allow the purpose of this world of form to be fulfilled. The world of form was created by Source Energy for a very specific purpose. It was created so that Source could have an experience as form while being consciously aware of itself. Manifesting a physical form was one way the infinite potential of the endless field of possibilities could then be utilized. Human beings manifested with the inherent ability to consciously know that they are the Awareness of Source 45

Energy while they are living/experiencing a life as form; to interact, produce, and construct here all the while knowing ‘What’ is actually having every experience. It’s that simple really. The world manifested so that Source could have the experience of doing/feeling things as and of form all the while being conscious of the fact it is Itself doing/feeling it all. This state of being can be called: Conscious Awareness.

“"Peace Is Possible”"

Chapter 7:

Trippin’ Out

f the main purpose of Life here can be summed up in just this one sentence and it really is that ‘simple’, then you might wonder why this does not appear to be happening. Well, it goes back to those two very different experiential paths mentioned earlier. ‘What am I?’ vs. ‘Who am I?’ The main blockage to this consciousness/design begins the moment we are given a name; the moment we are started travelling (or in some cases, tripping out along) the: ‘Who am I?’ path. Children are given a name and told that that’s who they are instead of the name being just a tool for communication. If one were to think about it, the fact that a woman typically changes her name and takes her husband’s surname after marriage is a very good example of just how important a name actually is – or isn’t. Many things may change in a woman’s life experience as a result of getting married. However, changing her last name doesn’t actually physically change her; she doesn’t become a different physical being. And William Shakespeare illustrated this for us very clearly in his famous verse from Romeo and Juliet: “What is in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” As humans grow/mature/age, the blockage to experiencing the consciousness/design becomes more substantial as this apparent identity gets reinforced. From the moment the human form begins to experience life here from the perspective or belief that it is this identity, that it Is a ‘who’ instead of a ‘what’, it is headed down the ‘Who am I’ experiential path – which is the way most people experience life here. It is living from this perspective, this belief in separateness (when a person begins to believe that there is a ‘me’ and a ‘you’) that subsequently brings the stress and fear frequencies into a more dominant experiential position. Initially, when a baby has experiences here, it has no ability to judge anything that happens because it has no words for anything. It lives totally in the moment and has no concept or belief that it is anything. It simply is. After a few years and a few more experiences and, most importantly, once the baby starts to gain language, this belief in an identity becomes more developed and concrete. The child has been told many things by now and has started to believe the words it has heard and that it is a separate individual with its own separate identity. While language is an incredibly useful component to the fulfillment of humanity’s purpose, it is also by far the greatest obstacle to that end. With words comes the possibility for false concepts and beliefs to arise. And what most often ends up happening is that each person winds up believing that they are separate individuals. In fact the Reality is: We are the Awareness of Source Energy as form – with the ability to be conscious of this fact. There is in fact no ‘me’ or ‘you’ living lives here. There is

only the Awareness of Source Energy in over seven billion human forms (not to mention every other living thing) having various different life experiences here. There is no such thing as ‘my life’ or ‘your life’. There is only Life! No personal pronouns allowed… (Application Exercise) The following is a practice exercise designed to assist in supporting and exploring the ‘no me, no you’ concept using experiential means. Remove all personal pronouns from ‘your’ vocabulary. A simple exercise that may prove helpful in facilitating the understanding of this perspective is to remove all personal pronouns from your vocabulary for a time. Begin by only referring to yourself as: This Form. Refrain from using the words “I”, “me”, “my”, and “mine”. Then notice how this feels. Do you feel silly? Tense? Lighter? Freer? etc… Also notice just how many times you find yourself beginning to use one of the above personal pronouns. You will soon discover just how strongly your form relies on this sense of identity. This exercise is designed to provide the opportunity to experience what it feels like to exist in a non-identity state; to experience living without a ‘me’ perspective. (Suggestion: try this with friends and family first. Co-workers and random people you interact with may find this somewhat strange!) Notice how you begin to view others. If there is no ‘me’ then perhaps there is no ‘you’ or ‘them’, either. Once you begin to look at others while silently repeating the words, “I am the Awareness of Source Energy as form”, you just may begin to realize that, if that’s what ‘you’ are, then that must be what ‘they‘ are, too. This is the real meaning of the words ‘all life is One’. It is not merely that all life is connected; it is more than that. All life is One because there is only one that it can be; it comes from and is sustained by a single Source. Detachment & illusion Once one has experienced what it is like to view the world from the ‘no identity’ perspective and has had the opportunity to know how this feels, it may be helpful to explore the concepts of illusion and detachment. Knowing a little bit about these two concepts will further contribute to broadening/enriching the ‘What am I’ perspective, which will result in a person coming to know that it’s all going to be OK’.

Many philosophical works speak about and promote developing detachment from the world and the things in it. This concept understandably frightens some people. They fear that they will then be left with no emotions, no feelings at all. They believe that they will no longer be capable of caring for anything or anyone. This is not so. It is not about detachment in the sense of not caring or becoming emotionless. Not at all. In fact, by letting go and shifting perspective, one will receive more in return. There is a sense of detachment, but it’s the illusion of an identity from which you are detaching yourself. Often we hear the phrase, “the world is just an illusion”. Again this can be rather stressful to people. It seems to imply that nothing here is real. And, of course, to people who believe that the world is real, the concept that the world is just a dream or an illusion seems ridiculous. For those who hear truth in that statement, there may be enormous frustration when they can’t seem to grasp just what exactly this means because all of their senses are screaming at them that the world is indeed real. Well, the truth of the matter is, they’re both right. The material world, the world of form which contains birds and trees and rivers and cell phones and the pyramids of Egypt, is indeed real – very real. It exists in the sense that it is comprised of all the vibrational frequencies mentioned earlier. It is not the things of this world that are the illusion. The Great Illusion is the belief that there is a ‘you’ and a ’me’; that we possess an identity; that we are somehow separate from that which ‘created’ us; and all the stories that are subsequently created out of that belief. So, if there is no ‘you’ and there is no ‘me’, then what on earth will you do while you are here? How do you live a life? When faced with this query, many people feel quite perplexed or agitated. If there is no ‘me’ or no ‘you’, then who or what is actually washing the dishes or walking in the woods or reading these words? Well, the answer is: the same thing it has always been. Only now ‘you’ know that this is the case. ‘You’ used to believe that it was ‘you’ who was doing these things; that it was ‘your’ life. Now ‘you’ know that this is not true and it never was true. This is very good news. Once this Truth reveals Itself, it then becomes possible to fulfill the purpose of existence which is to experience living a life as and surrounded by form from a Consciously Aware perspective. And it is experiencing life from this Consciously Aware perspective that will manifest a monumental shift in your vibrational frequency. It is this shift in frequency, by the way, that is the essential component to knowing that ‘it’s all going to be OK’. ‘You’ will find ‘yourself’ doing many of the same things ‘your’ form always did here: going to work, driving, cooking, cutting the lawn, getting married, having sex, raising children etc… The only difference will be that it will now happen from a completely different perspective. And at the end of the day, at the very core of it all, that is truly what Life here is all about. It’s the experiences we have here that are the sole purpose for this world of form. We are all here to have experiences as and of 49

form. And we all do this, every single one of us, every single minute of every day. And when we are having experiences in a Consciously Aware state, then we will be completely fulfilling the purpose of the manifestation of the material dimension and the existence of form.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;"Listen For Who's taking Credit"

Chapter 8:

Relief:::Belief with Benefits Now for some relief from the stress experienced as a result of that fear frequency. Here it comes…

ake a deep breath and relax into the knowledge that ‘you’ are not a separate identity. Realize that nothing ‘you’ do or don’t do here really means anything beyond the experience itself. Life here really is just like taking a trip. Nothing can change ‘What’ ‘you’ are and ‘Why’ ‘you’ are here. Know that it is experiences themselves that are the reason for your existence. Grasp the concepts of ‘What’ ‘you’ are and ‘Why’ ‘you’ are here and let ‘yourself’/form slip into experiencing the peace this knowledge reveals. Notice just how delicious it feels to experience this state of Being. Feel the relief that happens when the shift in vibrational frequency occurs. However, now is when the application part begins. Don’t initially expect this state of being to be a permanent experience. After all, there are some life experiences here that are just plain unpleasant. No one is suggesting that knowing ‘What’ ‘you’ are and ‘Why’ ‘you’ are here is going to then spare us from experiencing any of the slower (stressful) vibrations ever again – we most certainly will. For the moments when we feel ourselves experiencing the slower vibrational frequencies again, here is another way to get some relief from those vibrations – so we can continue to know that ‘it’s all going to be OK’. The Sensual Solution: (Application Exercise) Take refuge in the sensual -- literally. When the thinking mind gets to be too much; when even knowing ‘What’ ‘you’ are and ‘Why’ ‘you’ are here isn’t enough to still the chattering (or howling) monkeys in our heads, one can always turn to the senses for relief. Focus on something sensual. Take a moment and focus all attention on one of the senses. Listen to a bird singing or the breeze rustling some leaves; really smell the air; look at the landscape or another object with rapt attention; notice how clothes feel on the body; pay particular 51

attention to food – how it smells, how it tastes. Even simply think about the fact that there is such a thing as food to experience eating; that we have a mouth and a tongue with taste buds and how absolutely incredible that is! It doesn’t matter. Just immerse ‘yourself’ in something sensual for a moment and notice how the tension vibration shifts and the vibrations of peace and relief are revealed. This is not a new strategy. Many may have heard this suggestion before. There is a reason for that. It works. Seriously. It really does! A shift in focus or perspective really does have the power to determine the vibrational frequency at which a form vibrates – be that the slower less ‘fun’ ones or the faster, typically more enjoyable ones. And most of all, BE PATIENT! Adopting and applying this ‘non-identity’ perspective of singularity, totality, and connection take time and practice. Know that shifting from vibration to vibration during the life experience here will happen. This is part of the design. Expect it. If there was no shifting back and forth, no experience of both the fast and the slow vibrations, there would be no opportunity to practise consciously choosing between them. And it really is a matter of repetition and practice. Changing a ‘dominant vibration pattern’ is the same as changing a habit. It takes time and attention. If a person has been living a life from the ‘Who am I’ belief system and there is now a desire to experience it from the ‘What am I’ belief system, it will take conscious effort, time, and attention to do so. When a shift in frequency has occurred and the more stressful (slower) vibrations are being experienced once again, remember to ask the question, “What have I forgotten?” Then gently remind the mind of ‘What’ ‘you’ are and ‘Why’ ‘you’ are here once more. This reminder will help to shift the focus for a moment and lift ‘you’ out of the slower ‘story identity’ belief mode that you entered and allow the faster vibration belief mode of singularity to become dominant. It is the shifting of vibrations from slower to faster that is responsible for the form experiencing a feeling of relief. Again, remember that living a life from the Conscious Awareness Perspective takes practice. It is like any other activity here in the world of form. Just keep practising and one day it will become automatic, and experiencing the slower vibrations of pain, stress, anger, etc…will happen less and less frequently and experiencing the faster vibrations of harmony, joy, peace, etc… will happen more and more often.

Chapter 9: 52

Pack Your Bags

side from the strictly ‘personal’ relief one will experience by adopting the beliefs outlined in this book and applying them to one’s life experience, there are a few other benefits that will emerge as well.

Others will be affected by this shift in ‘your’ perspective. Relationship experiences will change dramatically. No longer will it be possible to view any other person as separate from yourself. You will begin to look at everyone with the knowledge of ‘What’ they are evident in your eyes. The other set of eyes will know that it has been recognized for ‘What’ It is and you will find that the entire dynamic of any interaction radically shifts from one of separateness to one of connection. And this is just with someone walking down the street! It becomes even more powerful in closer, more intimate relationships. What might it be like to look at your mate, for instance, with this kind of recognition? What might it be like to make love to someone from this perspective? But that’s a whole other book! Many of us are concerned about the state of the world these days. What if people were to raise children from this Consciously Aware perspective? What if children were instructed in ‘What’ they were and ‘Why’ they were here from an early age? What type of life experience would result? And how might this affect the world? When one starts to live life from the Conscious Awareness perspective, much of the trauma, suffering, and fear that humanity experiences simply disappear. Once people are aware of ‘What’ they are and ‘Why’ they are here, there will be no need for prisons or laws because a basic morality will be manifested out of this state of Awareness. Once people truly grasp the fact that what they do to others they are quite literally doing to themselves, it will become impossible for any one of us to hurt or take advantage of another as we would be quite literally hurting and taking advantage of ourselves. These are just a couple of examples of the changes the world will see when the majority of its inhabitants lives from this perspective or vibrational frequency. There are many more. This information has been written in the hope that it will help free some from the enormous fear and suffering they are experiencing in the ‘you’ and ‘me’ story identity. It will also hopefully ease the frustration experienced by those who have become stuck in the muck and mire of the metaphysical realm. In addition, it may assist those who have read about and yearned for the “everlasting peace that passeth understanding” and yet found it eluding them. It has eluded them because they have been experiencing life from the perspective of separateness and identity. If people live from the perspective of singularity and totality, the peace and joy vibrations (that are always there) then become the primary/dominant experiential vibrations for them. Once one begins to experience living from the Conscious Awareness 53

perspective, there will be an enormous decrease in the amount of time one spends experiencing the fear vibration. Peace, joy, and love in abundance will then be the primary/dominant vibrations experienced here in this material dimension of Form. The human life experience actually does then become ‘a real trip’! And every Form can embark on this trip knowing at the very core that: “It’s All Going to Be OK.”

Remember: Know ‘What you are’ and ‘Why you are here’. There is no ‘me’ or ‘you’. The knowledge, acceptance, and application of this is the key to everything. Take refuge in the sensual. And, Be patient. Arla

www.theokway.com

Section 3

The World IS?

Rachel Casey

Introduction:

here are many ways to look at life and, at times, I would find myself in an endless circle of trying to figure out how I should look at the world and what was happening to me within it. I would be constantly examining my circumstances, wishing life could be different, not knowing if I should appreciate each day and think of it as a blessing; or if I should perceive the world with a watchful eye, always looking over my shoulder to prevent bad things from happening. The world is a dangerous place, and you always have to be on the lookout, right? I would find myself feeling uneasy which ever I chose. I was fighting a losing battle because, in the end, it didn’t matter which way I picked. I was still unhappy, still uneasy with my decisions, and still curious as to how I should perceive the world around me. This is the first step to understanding what it is that I hope to share; ‘you’ have to understand that the way ‘you’ view your life is a choice that ‘you’ make and ‘you’ have the power to choose how ‘you’ want to live it. I’m not going to try to convince anyone to believe what I believe because, to be honest, I’m not sure if I will always believe it myself. I’m the kind of person that likes to remain open to new ideas and I am aware that something more logical may present itself and what I believe will change as a result. What I will say is that, for the moment, this is what seems most logical to me; this outlook is what makes me feel happy. Now it may not work for you, and if it doesn’t, that is fine. Something different will come your way and hopefully, if you are still unhappy, happiness will find you. However, this just might be the answer you have been searching for and this might be the answer to your prayers. If you have been disappointed with your life and desperate for a change, then this might just be the thing you need. I am a 21-year-old university student and during my short existence here, I have lived a very interesting life. Not so interesting that I would be in a rush to write an entire novel, but interesting enough that I feel I have something to offer. When I was very young I was very ill, to the point where it was possible that my life could have been even shorter than it is now. Thankfully I am still here, however I would not change my past for anything. I believe that, had my life been different and had circumstances been different, I would not be who I am today. I would not be where I am in my life at such a young age had it not been for this event in my life. I always had an encouraging family, and it is hard to say if it was because of that encouragement that I so readily sought out knowledge. As a young child, I was full of questions and I could never get enough answers; I had to know. Some of the earliest questions I remember asking are: Who are we and why are we here? Who is God? What is a spirit? What is karma? What is reincarnation? Was I 57

sick in this life because I was bad in another life? Does this mean that I paid off my ‘karma’ debt? I remember something about a gumball machine… As I approached adolescence I began asking: What’s wrong with society? Why don’t people let me be who I really am? Why can’t I listen to Green Day, Mom? Why can’t I wear dark eyeliner? Why am I so fat? Why don’t people like me? Why don’t I have any friends? Why can’t I express who I really am? Why can’t I say my true thoughts in school? Am I not allowed to have my own opinion? Is life just a game? Why can’t it be more fun? Why does math suck so much? Why do we have to conform to society? Why couldn’t we read these books before now? Why can’t people see that religion has flaws? Why does no one understand? Why doesn’t anyone get what I mean? Why should I bother anymore? Why should I care about anything if nothing is real? Why should life matter if there is no ‘me’? Why am I so angry? Then as a young adult, I had thoughts such as: Why are men so dumb? Why can’t men do what they say? Why can’t they keep a promise? Are they even worth it? Why are people so stupid? Why can’t people see what they really are? Why don’t they know what life is really about? Why are people so scared? Why won’t they accept the truth? Attending university generated a whole different set of questions: What is the government trying to hide? Is our whole life a conspiracy? What if it really was aliens…? Are we all going to die on December 21st, 2012? What am I going to do with my life? What is it that I’m going to be? Why can’t I figure it out? Why is this bothering me so much? Why am I writing this book?! Life is filled with ups and downs and countless questions that we ask ourselves, and sometimes we don’t always get the answers. And sometimes we do, but we just don’t like what we hear or, more accurately, we can’t accept what we hear. At first, the idea that there was no ‘me’ was very hard for ‘me’ (Rachel) to understand; not that I didn’t exist, but rather the story about myself didn’t exist. The day you are born life begins; this is logical. And every experience you have will shape who you are as an ‘individual’. In my younger teenage years, I was obsessed with the idea of individuality and with the concept that no one was actually an individual. My theory was similar to what George Orwell alludes to in 1984: “We believe what the media tells us to believe”. To take this idea one step further, for the non-conformists out there, their life is one big paradox: “I will not conform by conforming to non-conformity!” Think about that concept for a while. So with this idea of the absence of individuality in mind, if an individual can be said to ‘not be’, is it then not logical that the other beliefs we assume about ourselves may ‘not be’ either? When I was seventeen and in grade twelve, I read 2+2= Reality by William Samuel. I remember this book having a huge impact on me and some might say that it was a negative one; however, I think that it was a needed step in my development. 58

This book had some very existentialist points of view with a twist of a neo non-dualism and a hint of something else that I can’t explain with any other word other than “Samuel-ness”. Up until the reading of this book, the most important thing in my life was school; I had to be the best, get the highest grades, and be the most ‘liked’ student. I defined myself through school. Some people play sports and some people play music. I played the academic game, and damn was I good at it until… along came William Samuel and ‘rained on my parade’…I lost my ‘purpose’. The way I had previously defined myself was gone and what remained was someone who was hardly able to function anymore; nothing mattered any longer. If what he was saying was true then why should I care and why should I bother to do anything anymore because, in the large scheme of life, it really didn’t matter what grades I got nor did it really matter if Mr. or Mrs. so-and-so liked me best. At the end of the day, folks, we die; there is no ‘me’—only life having experiences and therefore why have preferences over whether or not said experiences are considered to be ‘good’ or ‘bad’? This idea was so very hard for me to comprehend because I was still living in a world of duality; in a world of either this or that. It seemed I had two choices: be a good student or realize what we really are. I couldn’t manage to fathom that both could exist simultaneously. It was quite the paradox.

Chapter One:

The World is Black or White

he world we live in today appears to be very black or white. There are good people or bad people; there are good experiences or bad experiences. Some people seem to have easy lives, while others appear to struggle. Why is this? What do all of these statements and observations have in common? They are all opposites of one another. These statements all reflect the world’s current perception of reality. This perception is that of a world of duality. But what does this mean, to live in a world of duality? What must first be acknowledged is that a world of duality can serve a great purpose. Duality is all about balance; when living in a state of duality one cannot experience great happiness without the experience of great sadness. If one were to be happy all the time, one would not appreciate the joys in life and therefore not experience that joy to its fullest. In this light, a world of duality can be viewed as a good thing because it has the potential to teach us to be humble and appreciative of life. However, more often than not, people do not embrace the potential provided by living in a state of duality and resort to the negative way of living in this state. One example of the negative way of living in duality comes as a result of gaining one’s own successes and happiness at the expense of someone else’s. This means that the only reason you get to be happy is because someone, somewhere else is unhappy. A prime example of this would be sports. The only reason one team celebrates is because the other team lost and doesn’t get to celebrate. The winning team has ‘proven’ that they are ‘better’ at that moment than the other team. The other team is ‘worse’ than the winning team because they lost. Can you see the connection between this and duality? The winning team only gets to win because the other ‘losing’ team has lost. Now one can get into the whole sportsmanship attitude and such things, but ultimately, in the grand design of the state of duality, a score was meant to be kept; and someone was always meant to succeed, only at the expense of someone else who was always meant to fail. This is the downside of duality, and this mentality is the current setup of our world, whether it is displayed through political elections, wars, religion, or even in school and job occupations; the list could continue. Everything about our current world exists in a state of duality. But how does this happen, and why? Does it really seem all that desirable? Can we do anything about it? Can the world change? “Yes, it can.”

We are taught to live in a state of duality. We are taught that something or someone is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. And we are taught these concepts from a very young age; some ways are through fairy tales and parables. One example is: the ‘wicked’ are always punished and the ‘pure of heart’ always prevail. Parables are designed to teach us a lesson and demonstrate that there are consequences for our actions. We are also taught to be good and kind to people, to ‘treat others how we wish to be treated’. However, in contrast to that, we are also taught to fear people we do not know by the statement, “Stay away from strangers”. If you don’t know a person you need to be cautious and keep your guard up because you don’t know what they might do to you. This creates a somewhat condescending, superiority complex; ‘the world is out to get me’. It is hard to be kind to people when you are taught to watch their every move for fear of what they might do to you. It causes a mental paradox within one’s self; a ‘damned if you do, and damned if you don’t’ paradox. As a result, when people grow up, they become cynical and jaded due to that constant internal battle; knowing they should be kind yet feeling compelled not to be; constantly judging and scrutinizing other people, deciding if they are worthy or not, and deserving or not of your kindness. Be kind to good people and watch your back around bad people. It’s wrong and impolite to be rude to kind people and dangerous and naive if you are kind to someone bad. Don’t be too nice to everyone, that’s how you get taken advantage of, but don’t be too mean to everyone or that won’t go over too well, either. It’s like you’re trying to serve two masters. This is a world of duality at its finest… not really. This shows how toxic and negative living in this mental state can be. This is the sad reality of the current mental state of the world. Here is the problem: this whole duality mentality ‘thing’ just isn’t working. It causes problems such as people not knowing how they should behave or act. They live in fear of a world of which they shouldn’t be afraid. The only reason they are fearful is because everyone lives in duality and is, as a result, reflecting those very fears. If the collective consciousness were to leave this state of duality there would be nothing left to fear anymore; there would be no reason to be scared.

Chapter Two:

The World is ((

)

f living in a world of duality as discussed in the previous chapter isn’t for you, then what are your options? Do you have any alternatives? Well let me say something: “Congratulations!” The very fact that you are actively seeking out alternatives will make your perception of the world change. Now that you’re asking questions, some of them might include: Is ignorance bliss? What is identity? Is your identity real? I think, therefore I am. A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. What’s in a name that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. These are all questions and statements raised by great minds from human history. But what might cause someone to think of these kinds of things? What do they have in common? These questions and statements are challenges directed towards society’s current beliefs of the time. They question our reality and they question our thoughts and way of life. In the “I think, therefore I am” statement, someone is trying to justify the existence of man—clearly discontent with the Bible’s explanation for man’s existence. This statement suggests that, because people have the power of advanced thoughts and capabilities, it is one’s mind that makes one exist. What a neat idea! In addition, there are also people who ask the questions: “Is your identity real? And is anything real? Is the world we live in merely an illusion?” The idea from the movie “The Matrix” that, “there is no spoon”, and therefore you can control anything and everything with your mind, because your mind is the only thing making any of this world real, is pretty cool and interesting ‘stuff’. These are the sorts of things that could consume your every waking thought… and trap you within them. And that’s exactly what this kind of thinking does to you—it’s a trap! As I have mentioned before, I am a huge fan of William Samuel. His work allowed me to adopt a perspective of objectivity that enabled me to process various life situations. In his essay, Zen Trap, Samuel talks about metaphysicians and theologians squabbling, how they can never seem to agree and basically end up wasting their lives arguing amongst themselves. This is what Samuel calls ‘the zen trap’, the trap of thinking you have all the answers but then never moving beyond or past them. This is also known as the ‘I’ve stopped seeking’ state and is when everything can start ‘to go downhill’ because one starts believing that ‘one’ knows something.

The wise man said, “I know nothing” and this is a very wise statement because ‘I’, in fact, cannot know anything. Many fail to fully understand this saying because they think it is about the “nothing” that they don’t “know”. They think that believing they “know nothing” is what makes them “wise”. But in fact, what makes them “wise” is understanding that there is no “I” to “know nothing”! Let me try to put this in a simple way: yes, there is a physical, carbon-based entity that grows and matures and ‘makes choices’. In this instance, ‘you’ do absolutely exist. However, the choices are not made by a ‘you’. Now I know what you must be thinking, “But wait, you said before that I have the choice to be living my life the way I am, so how can you now be saying that I don’t have a choice?” This seeming contradiction is a result of duality; still seeing things from an ‘either, or’ perspective. If however, one employs contradistinction thinking, this and that, any apparent contradiction resolves itself. This is a hard concept to put into words, especially for me. For me now, this idea has become an internal knowing, rather like someone just instinctively knows if something will be heavy or light by looking at it. Trying to explain this idea is rather like trying to explain weight to someone who has no concept of it. It might seem easy but it is actually quite difficult. In one class, my psychology professor introduced the idea of weight and set up the following scenario: Someone with no concept of weight was asked if they would rather have a newspaper or a marble thrown at them. With no concept of weight or even an inherent knowledge of physics, one would likely choose the marble because it is smaller. But which would hurt more? That’s right, the marble would. Without an understanding of weight, one does not know this. Similarly, my concept of a ‘you’ to me is now rather like the common understanding for most people of weight. “Well, you just know that the marble would hurt more even though it is smaller.” I just know that there isn’t a ‘me’ or a ‘you’. Now let us return to my attempt to explain any confusion around the concept of ‘you’ -- or rather, the lack thereof. If change is to occur, then something must change. That seems logical. A choice is made and it is this choice that influences the change. Again, that seems legitimate. Now, consider the following statement: you are choosing, yet at the same time, you are not. Did I lose anyone? If I did, don’t worry about it. As I mentioned before, this was the hardest thing for me to understand at first. However, if you remember, I said it was hard because we are so conditioned to perceive the world as a world of duality. This conditioning states that there can only ever be one answer to something, and if there is more than one answer, then they never contradict each other. I mean, it would be quite the paradox if they did, isn’t that right? But that’s exactly what I am suggesting right now. Our world is a paradox: for every argument there is another argument that proves it wrong. But it works both ways: the ‘right’ argument that disproves the ‘wrong’ argument wrong can be proven wrong by the ‘wrong’ argument which would make the ‘wrong’ argument right.

And on a side note, if you think that that’s confusing, I remember in an essay I once endeavoured to … wait for it… prove that you cannot prove anything. I know, right? LOL.

“"ALL THE MEANING ANYTHING HAS IS THE MEANING I GIVE IT"

Chapter Three:

The World is Grey and Black and White:

would like to introduce an exercise where you ask yourself how you feel at this moment in your life. Are you happy? Are you content? Or are you disappointed? Maybe even ashamed? Do you have regrets? The adults in my life have always said, “If I knew then what I know now, I would have done things differently.” And I think that this is quite common. I myself even look back on things that I have done in my short life and think this exact same thing. I believe that many people feel this way, especially if they are unhappy with their lives. They think that, if they had done something differently, then they would not be feeling as upset (or whichever emotion they are currently feeling) with their life as they are now. It is this regret that stops people from moving beyond these emotions and accepting what is. Similarly, one’s perspective can also hold one back from moving forward. If someone has held a belief for their entire life and is shown something that can contradict or challenge that idea, they will often want to hold onto the belief in order to not have to confront the possibility that they were ‘wrong’ and that perhaps it is their perspective that is the source of their unhappiness. The reasoning behind this is that, if they admit to this, then it would appear that they are the cause of their own suffering. The above mentioned exercise is not designed to assign blame, nor is it intended to make one feel ‘less than’ or ‘wrong’. It is merely a tool that I found helpful to keep in mind when shifting from and moving to a different perspective; hopefully one that will lead to a more enjoyable life experience. I have personally had a colourful life when it comes to the emotional spectrum. However, I have found that the most useful feeling one can have is the feeling of being powerless. I have always been the type of person that likes to be in control of a situation and, if I don’t have it, I feel uncomfortable and vulnerable, rather like being backed into a corner with no escape. Over the years, I have been developing this objective perspective to try and help with feelings such as depression, discontentment, anger, and rage. But I noticed that the most profound and moving of all was when I felt helpless to do anything. I used to fight it; it would enrage me to no end. Even to this day, I find myself most likely to become angered by situations over which I have no control. This is quite an interesting exercise. I have a very logical mind and I like to work through things in a very logical way. In this case, logic would dictate my actions to be illogical. Why was I angry about something that I had no control or influence over whatsoever? But that is the whole 65

point: I didn’t want to surrender the control even when it was smack dead in my face obvious. This was interesting to me; why would my logical mind be making me suffer over something that was so illogical? It doesn’t make sense but, often times, when one is in this state of distress, one cannot simply shut it off and not feel that way anymore (due to how emotions affect how the brain responds and functions; but this is another topic for another book.) What if there was a way to bypass or ‘reboot’ one’s thoughts during these emotional episodes? Now first there is something that I want to make clear: I am not claiming that one will never be angered by anything ever again nor will one magically find instantaneous solace after reading these pages. What I am trying to accomplish here is to maximize the benefit and minimize the frustration for all those who are unhappy with their life. Now here’s the MOST CHALLENGING CONCEPT TO GRASP: what if I were to tell you that it wasn’t solely the obvious things over which ‘you’ have no control, but that every ounce of control ‘you’ think ‘you’ have is an illusion? That a ‘you’ is completely incapable of possessing control? This is not to say that one does not exist. Our bodies and everything here in form absolutely exist but rather it is the thoughts about said bodies that is the illusion. If one can accept this idea, it makes it easier to accept things as they happen. This is not a delegation of personal responsibility for one’s actions, but is rather a mental mechanism that can be learned and used to see the world in a different way. It would seem now, “What do ‘I’ have to live for?” As mentioned in a previous chapter, I would like to revisit the idea of contradistinction. I feel that understanding this will be of immense help when attempting to now function within the world again. First, being consciously aware of the fact that there is no ‘you’ does not mean that ‘you’ stop being ‘you’. Contradistinction suggests that two opposing ideas may coexist simultaneously and that, in fact, they actually thrive off the existence of one another. In this instance, if life had not created an individual then it could never come to learn that there isn’t one. Rather like in music one learns the notes to then proceed to forget them. Life is similar in this way in that we learn to be apart so that we may unlearn this separation, because ultimately, this world is a world of dualities except that it also comes with contradistinctive properties. And it is discovering these aspects that is what one now has to live for… while at the same time carrying on with life the way one always would. One will still have birthdays and celebrations and go on dates and meet new people. One will go about living the SAME LIFE THAT THEY HAD, only now the way they view it and their thoughts about it will be different and, hopefully, be better for it.

As I mentioned in the introduction, there are many ways one can look at life. I am simply sharing one of mine with you. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all going to be OK.

Rachel

www.theokway.com

Recommended Reading Power Vs. Force - David Hawkin 2+2 =â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Reality - William Samuel Lucid Living - Tim Freke The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle The Work - Byron Katie The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz A Course in Miracles - Helen Shuckman Does It Matter - Alan Watts Holographic Universe - Heal Your Body - Louise Hay Awakening The Buddha Within - Lama Surya Das After the Ecstasy the Laundry - Jack Kornfield The Peaceful Warrior - Dan Millman Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert A. Heinlein The Monk That Sold His Ferrari - Robin Sharma Book of Mirdad - Mikhail Naimy The Prophet - Kahlil Gabran