Recently I heard a story about a man who owned a factory. Suddenly, or so it seemed, the machines in the factory were breaking down and employees were having accidents. The owner kept trying to figure out what was going, and his mind was caught up in thinking about how to solve the problem. A rival company had made an offer to buy his business, and he was thinking of selling because it had become such a headache.
One night he went to the factory at midnight. He took a chair up to the top floor of the factory and sat down to watch. As he watched the factory from above, he saw vandals and saboteurs enter the factory. He watched as they did things to the machinery that would cause breakdowns and accidents to occur. He later found out that the rival company had sent the intruders to encourage him to sell his business.
The point of the story is that he didn’t solve the problem by thinking about it and trying to figure out a solution, he solved the problem by simply watching from above.
As we watch the mind from above with Holy Spirit, and see the saboteurs and intruders that cause us pain, we realize that they are just our thoughts. When we believe the story running through the mind that tells us something outside of us as causing our pain, then, we cannot hear the voice of Truth because we’re mesmerized by the thoughts that tell us we have a reason to be in pain. Pain is part of the story.
Awhile back, my mind was caught up in such a story, and it was around this time that my inner teacher introduced me to the practice of mantra and surrender as taught in The Teachings of Inner Ramana. If you’ve been reading my blog, then you are privy to how much I have gained from the incident because in my willingness to stop listening to the story, I learned practices that are taking me deeper within.
In fact, recently I woke up one morning and heard thoughts about that story and immediately had this thought, "OMG, I am so bored with this story!” I had to laugh. Now when thoughts about that particular story come up, I immediately see that the thoughts are truly meaningless, as are the thoughts about all the stories that try to run through the mind.
This morning I had a deep meditation, and then went on a walk with my dog. During most of the walk I focused on the mantra practice, but then thoughts began to come up about my childhood, thoughts that I had not heard in a very long time. I saw the meaninglessness of the thoughts, and thought, “Sheesh! I’m going to be 55 in a few days. It’s definitely time to let go of that story.” It was obvious that ego, the voice of separation, was just throwing a curve ball into my peaceful mind. I returned to my mantra practice instead of listening to a story, and soon, the story dissolved back into the nothingness from which it came.
In this blog I will be sharing from a message from the “Be watchful with Me” series called: “Mind-watching through pain”.*
When a time of pain comes upon you, Holy Spirit in this message asks us to pay careful attention to the thoughts that rise through the pain, such as:
I am victim.
I am afraid.
Something is wrong with me.
There is no God.
I hate myself.
There is only loss.
I can certainly relate to having thought all of these thoughts in various moments of emotional pain, and I can certainly recall the desire to believe them as true. I am thankful that I know now that such thoughts come from the voice that speaks from who I am not.
HS: “Watch the thoughts that arise, and remain aware that you need not accept these thoughts. In observing the thoughts that come up through the pain, without slipping into accepting the thoughts, you release many false thoughts from the mind.”
The way the word “accept” is being used here is synonymous with the word believe, as in believing that the thoughts are true. I feel to make this clarification because there is a difference between accepting thoughts as true, and accepting that right now the thoughts of fear or loss are in my mind. When I see the thoughts in the mind, and recognize that they are the cause of my pain, I can then give willingness to let them go to healing; but to believe them and accept them as true, is to keep them. In keeping a tight hold on such thoughts I continue to create experiences of pain.
When we are willing to do this mindful work, we begin to wake from our slumber. I now find it amazing that an incident that occurred in my life that caused me much emotional pain, is something I now see as a gift that has led me to deeper healing. It was through my willingness to let go of the painful thoughts that seemed to bombard me that I allowed myself to be guided to see thoughts of victimization and unworthiness that were triggered by the incident. I gained a deeper look within. And thus, I came to a deeper understanding of acceptance (see course note #111 and 115). Then I was guided to the practices of mantra and surrender, which are without a doubt, the most helpful and powerful tools I have come across.
HS: “Use your pain to free yourself, by choosing release from the thoughts that are the basis and cause of all pain.”
Let your pain be a gift that sets you free from the prison you have made for yourself. It is truly our thoughts that enslave us. Even though we need not grow through pain, we often do as we hold onto ideas that cause pain.
“It is time to look within at the darkness that blinds you to your awareness of Life. You will see many things, all of which are false. Hold My hand, and know it is your own truth that you hold to as we look together at all you are not.” (NTI 2 Timothy 1v1)
NTI 2 Timothy has been incredibly instrumental in helping me do this. Through my work with the teachings, I have discovered that when I have been really willing to look at the pain, it’s not that painful! I mean it is for a moment…but pain becomes joy as we look at it from above the battleground, with the vision of Holy Spirit, and there we can release it to Love for healing.
“The overlooking of the battleground is now your purpose. Be lifted up, and from a higher place look down upon it. From there will your perspective be quite different. Here in the midst of it, it does seem real.” (ACIM T-23.IV.4:5)
It can be difficult to practice mind-watching when going through emotional pain, because it is a time when we can become more self-absorbed, and stuck in our story. But be willing to entertain the willingness to let the pain become a gift.
Take this moment to be quiet
and to ask Me
to look at your pain with you.
I am with you always,
but through inviting Me
you acknowledge My presence within you.
In peace we will experience your pain together.
Through peace,
we will joyously let it go.
Healing is your only purpose.
Do not be distracted.
You enjoy the process as you come to recognize its reward,
and the reward you recognize is
That Which you truly Are.
Amen.
(NTI 2 Timothy 4v16-22)
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The audio was recorded on 9/11/11 and is 53 min.
and delves into more than I have shared here.
* The message can be found in its entirety at: http://www.reginadawnakers.com in the monthly archives dated 1/19/2007.
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