In the early 1990s, Marc Hammer gave a series of lectures and absent discussions, some of which were compiled into the text, The Way of Mastery. This was the major source used to assemble this book.

This source material is available from the Shanti Christo Foundation, USA. Similar ideas are found in the writings of other authors.

At the risk of sounding very disrespectful, we believe there are errors in the source material, which we have sought to remove. In fact, taken alone without a complete development program, the source materials are pernicious. Here are the problems:

1. No nutritional guidance. The sources say or imply that nutrition is not important. Instead, only one’s thoughts matter and for nutritional guidance one can just tune into the Holy Spirit. We respectfully disagree – nutrition matters a lot and just “tuning in” does not work well for most people.

Also, the Shanti Christo material makes reference to a vegetarian diet. In the author’s view, this is very bad advice. Mr. Hammer was a vegetarian at the time he presented his information. For nutrition information, we suggest the articles at http://www.drlwilson.com.

2. No moral code and somewhat sexy. The material that inspired this book does not recommend a moral code such as the Ten Commandments Of Moses. We believe this is an error, and not the original intention of the teaching. Moral codes serve as anchors and guides for societies and are absolutely needed.

3. Confusing use of religious language. The source books include some religious-sounding words. These could cause readers to believe that the teaching is a religion, and therefore not to be questioned.

4. Difficulty with guidance. The teaching advises one to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance for every type of question and situation. However, malicious interference with guidance and consequent bad guidance is the rule, rather than the exception. This often leads to dangerous or stupid decisions and other errors.

To obtain excellent guidance is very difficult! The source material does not emphasize this fact. In our experience, the only way to obtain reliable guidance is by developing oneself. However, this topic is not in the source material. For details, read Introduction To Development.

A method of obtaining guidance that may work a little is focusing attention on a point in the head just below the pituitary gland. However, obtaining good guidance is still very difficult.

5. Love does not mean sex. The sources advocate loving others. Some, however, confuse this with having sex. Being the presence of love has nothing to do with sex or romance. Instead, it is the act of radiating a special energy outward into the world. Please do not confuse these two very different activities.

6. No discussion of the 7 system. The 7 system is the way information and ideas are structured in nature and in our bodies. It is an essential teaching discussed in many articles on this website, but it is not in the source material.

7. No pulling down exercise. In the source material, there is no mention of the pulling down exercise. Yet it is most helpful to shift one’s perspective from the ego self to the Real Self. For details, read The Pulling Down Exercise.

Some will say that any technique such as the pulling down exercise is a “magical means” and thus not part of this teaching. We would answer that this exercise, because it moves energy directly from the head to the feet, is not a magical means. It is aligning with what you really are – a polarized being of light.

8. No discussion of the ‘others’ or rogues. The source material does not even mention what we call the rogues. This is a group of beings, mainly from other planets, who seek to control the earth. They control most publications here, and they corrupt most spiritual teachings.

They prefer secrecy, so they may not have permitted much to be said about them in the material that inspired this book. However, they are very important. For details, read The Rogues.

OVERVIEW

The basic teaching. Souls and human beings are extensions of the love of the Creator into this world of form. This view is quite different from the fear-based thought system taught in the world, and is a very empowering, positive, uplifting idea.

An entire thought system. The book presents an entire system of thinking based upon the concept above. A system means that all parts of it fit together perfectly. It also means that viewed in isolation, the ideas may not make sense. When reading this book, try to view the ideas as part of a complete thought system.

A non-dualistic (one force) philosophy. Many people believe in good versus evil. This teaching proposes that there is only one force, which it calls God or Creator. Evil is not a force, but merely a deficit or absence of good. The Christian and Hebrew religions really present the same idea, but perhaps not as clearly.

The world is a feedback system. An unusual aspect of this thought system is that whatever is occurring in one’s life is but feedback regarding one’s thoughts. For example, if one thinks thoughts of lack, one will experience lack. This is how powerful are our thoughts. The teaching is that we are free to think differently, and life will then begin to improve.

Souls. Parts of the teaching require viewing the world from a soul perspective. This is unusual, but very important. Souls are real, the teaching asserts, and are the most basic units of consciousness in all living things. Souls are very tiny, and they do not die. As a result, they perceive differently from human beings, who are much more delicate and mortal.

The big shift. Living well, the teaching asserts, requires a shift in identity from a false, fear-based identity called the ego self, to a new identity. This book calls the new identity the Real Self.

The shift requires:

1. Some understanding. This book can help with this.

2. The Pulling Down Exercise, and an entire development program, as described at www.drlwilson.com. The reason is that there are vertical energy channels running from the head to the feet that must be opened, nourished, and cleared of toxic material. Only then will one feel like an open channel through which a loving energy flows and guides one’s entire life. This is the feeling of identifying as the Real Self.

Preface To The First Edition

I am thankful for the grace that changed my mind. I have learned that I am an extension of the love of the Creator into this world of form. I have also learned that thoughts matter a great deal. Discovering my deepest thoughts, and how they affect my life, has been quite an adventure. May this small volume light your way as you discover what you truly are.

Introduction To The First Edition

This book describes a reality that has been known for thousands of years. A joyous view of life, it is an antidote for suffering.

Most people base their life on the idea that I am the body. Since the body is subject to many kinds of problems, identifying as the body results in seeing a fearful world.

Another thought is possible. I am not the body, but something far greater. This thought results in the experience of a joyous world, a parallel reality that exists right here.

Shifting this basic thought requires undoing years of programming, so be patient. The ideas in this book need to be experienced as real, not just read and understood. Read them many times and be patient and persistent until inside you begin to feel their truth.

********************

THOUGHTS MATTER MOST

EVERY THOUGHT IS POWERFUL

Thoughts are bolts of energy that create ripples in the ether of space. Like pebbles thrown into a pond, each creates a ripple that spreads far and wide. Objects and events are the result.

I am free to think as I like. However, all thoughts have consequences. Every thought is powerful, with no exceptions. I co-create my world with my thoughts. This concept is the thrust of this teaching.

The pulling down procedure. In order to think only loving thoughts, I need to know that Love is real. To know this I need to do the Pulling Down Procedure – often and forcefully.

Everything I see began as a thought. Each thought is creative. If I have a body, I must have thought of having a body. If I have a soul, I must have thought of having a soul. If I live in a house, I must have thought of having a house. That is how creation works.

I may strive and pray to achieve what I desire. They call this “positive thinking”. I cannot figure out why results are slow in coming.

The problem is that in between the prayers and affirmations, I indulge the opposite thoughts. "I don't deserve this new car" or "Maybe I am sick" or “I am hopeless.”

My positive thoughts are offset by hidden negative thinking. My problem is I create unconsciously, unaware of my hidden thoughts. Nor am I aware of the power of my random thoughts.

In fact, positive thinking is the only method to bring anything into my life. If positive thinking does not work it is only because my desires are conflicted. Negative thoughts are mixed in with those that are positive.

To learn to think carefully and correctly is the goal of this book. Each topic in this book is a facet of this jewel. Thinking only loving thoughts creates a loving world.

The pulling down procedure. Once again, in order to think only loving thoughts, I need to know that Love is real. To know this I need to do the Pulling Down Procedure – often and forcefully.

Exercise:

Becoming aware of my thoughts is the first step to changing my life. To be happy and healthy, I examine each and every thought. Otherwise, random and sloppy thinking lead to random, sloppy and often very hazardous living.

More than any other method, the pushing down exercise helps me observe my thoughts. I sit quietly, focus on my feet or just below them, and pull or push energy straight down from my head to my feet.

This process gets me out of my head. It can feel strange, and perhaps unpleasant. I may become aware of long-suppressed negative thoughts or feelings.

I also notice the constant chatter of the thinking mind. At times, it may race like a wild horse, running to and fro.

In addition to pushing down, slowing down my busy life is another helpful method. I walk, eat, talk and breathe slower.

I am patient and compassionate with myself as I begin to observe the mind. I need not force thoughts to stop. By observing them, on their own they will slow down.

Little by little, I learn to remember only my loving thoughts. As I teach only love, my life will improve.

UNLIMITEDNESS

In reality, I am a Real Self, unlimited and perfect. I am unlimited in my awareness, power and freedom.

However, I have chosen to limit my thinking. I have created a dream or dream-like state of being. It includes the dream of time, and of having souls and a body that exist in time.

This teaching further divides this dream state into the happy dream and the unhappy dream. The happy dream is living as the Real Self. The unhappy dream, which is the situation of most people, is living as the ego self.

Identified as the ego self, life is very limited. Fear, anger, guilt, and other negative emotions contract the ego’s thinking.

The goal of this teaching is to shift my awareness away from limitation and toward the reality of unlimitedness. Only this shift allows me to see that I am not just the body and the mind. I am much more. In fact, all things are inside of me.

In reality, I have already awakened from the dream. In fact, I am watching a rerun of the process of awakening.

Shifting my perspective away from limitation and toward unlimitedness, from the ego self to the Real Self, is the most important use of time.

Exercise:

I take the time every day to think about the idea of unlimitedness. This helps me to accept it into my consciousness. Eventually, unlimitedness becomes my reality and is not unusual or scary.

JUDGMENT

To some whose thinking is sloppy, judging means holding any opinion about anything at all. Those who would destroy our culture think along these lines. It is a way to confuse and negate the views of others. If I believe in God, for example, they say I am judging all those who do not believe in God.

This is untrue, however. Belief in God is an opinion, and everyone holds opinions. Opinions are but thoughts that help me make decisions.

Judgment is something else. It is the arrogant belief that I know all there is to know about a person or situation. It has an emotional quality and a finality that shuts down further inquiry. Judgment always comes from the lower energy centers, and is never a reasoned response.

It is like saying, “I know everything and you are wrong!” It is always incorrect because I never have all the facts about anyone or anything. Oddly, it is exactly what some left-wing people sound like when they accuse others of judging.

Identified as the ego self, I judge people and situations all of the time. This is one way the ego compensates for its weakness and confusion.

If I wish to stop judging, I identify as the Real Self. I still hold opinions. However, I do not make final judgments because I leave that up to God.

In the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus says “Judge not, lest you be judged” (Luke 6:37). Some people say Christians are hypocrites because they judge others when their Bible says not to judge.

However, Christians do not judge. They hold an opinion. They leave judgment up to God. So there is no hypocrisy by Christians in our world.

Exercise:

I hold opinions of many kinds. However, now and then I may notice that I have judged a situation or a person. I have closed my mind completely.

Right away I know I am identifying with my ego self. Judging makes my ego self feel more secure.

I remind myself that I am not the ego self. I never know everything about a person or situation needed to make a final judgment. That I leave up to God. I am a Real Self, unlimited in power and love, with no need or desire to judge others in order to feel safe.

ARROGANCE

Arrogance is the belief that I know something when really I do not know. It can also be the belief that I am something that I am not. Arrogance is always an upward movement of energy and a primary quality of the false self or ego. It comforts the ego, which always feels unsure of itself.

Arrogance is a mental illness that is difficult to heal. It can involve pumping myself up, or it can involve degrading myself. When I pump myself up, the quality is pride or haughtiness. When I put myself down, the quality is self-deprecation. Both are quite harmful to the body and mind.

Identified as the ego self, I will be arrogant, at least to a degree, because I am living with a false identity. I don’t really know who or what I am.

Identified as the Real Self, arrogance melts away. I am no longer confused about my identity or worth. I depend upon the Creator, who informs me correctly about who I am and about the truth of all things.

Exercise:

I look for arrogance in myself because it tells me I am not living as the Real Self. When I find it, I discard it.

Perhaps I need to apologize to someone to I spoke to incorrectly. This can help me clear away the ego trait of arrogance.

I AM HERE ONLY TO BE TRULY HELPFUL

Identified as the ego self, I am mainly concerned with the ego’s needs. Satisfying them takes up most of my time. This can seem helpful, but often it is not, since it is based upon separation from God and separation from others.

Identified as the Real Self, it is easy to be truly helpful. Humans need help in four different ways: to survive, to learn, to develop, and to mature. I truly help by working on myself. In all of these ways, I help others, as well.

Exercise:

Help with survival means helping with food, shelter, lifestyle and basic health. Help with learning involves education, training and study.

Development is less well understood. It is the opening and growth of the seven physical energy centers. Also, it is the filling of the five upper energy fields or bodies of a human being. For best results, development requires a specific program. To learn more, read Introduction To Development.

Helping with maturity is often the most difficult. I need to mature in order to offer it to others. Maturity has to do with living in integrity. It also requires self-honesty and obedience to the highest principles. As I achieve this, I can mentor others and help them to move in the same direction.

THE TWO SELVES

THE REAL SELF

This teaching focuses on the question of who am I. A body-mind is what I believe I am. This is understandable because the body demands so much time and attention. However, this is not the Real Self. The body-mind is only a communication device.

The Real Self is a sparkling point of light at the heart of my main or entity soul. Invisible to the eyes, it is the greater part of myself because it connects back to the Creator through a tiny wire or filament.

At times, it associates with physical bodies and discards them when no longer useful. Closely connected to the source of creation, the Real Self is a spark of the divine. Like a sunbeam to the sun or a wave to the ocean, it is an extension of the Creator’s love.

From the perspective of the Real Self, most people suffer from amnesia. They invent new and often unhappy lives, having forgotten who and what they really are.

Exercise:

My main task is to shift my perspective. I want to identify more and more as the Real Self. This automatically gives birth to a different thought system.

Living from this new thought system means thinking in harmony with it most of the time. This will expose thoughts from the false self that are in opposition.

THE FALSE SELF

The false self is the body-mind. It is a resistance against the truth of the Creator’s love. It is a second identity that I made.

In this book, the body-mind is called the ego. Its brain is a fancy computer. Quite fallible is this part of the machine. Fears, traumas and nutritional imbalances often disturb its functioning. It cannot do more than calculate. Also, once set in a pattern, it is difficult to change.

How the ego first arose is important for this teaching. A long time ago, God decided to experience Himself. He extended Himself to form trillions of sparks and souls. These at first remained very close to their source. In time, however, they ventured further, exploring in many ways.

At some point in the process, they ignored the fact of their oneness with their Creator and judged themselves guilty for separating from their source.

Judging themselves stopped the flow of love from the Creator. Absence of the primal energy of love caused feelings of fear. Fear is nothing but the absence of the Creator’s love.

The souls then invented new identities in order to allay their fear. These are the ego selves.

More than physical bodies and minds, the ego selves are substitute identities based upon the belief in separation from the Creator. However, separation from the Creator never occurred, so the ego selves are always false.

The ego self is somewhat like an elaborate space suit. We must wear it, we are taught in school, to be present on earth. Delicate and fallible, it is subject to accidents, stress and disease. Comfort and self-preservation are its main concerns.

Eventually, it wears out and must be replaced. This is labeled death. However, it is only the end of the body-mind, and not the end of the Real Self or spark of the divine.

Most people think of themselves as the space suit and its computer. Misidentification as the false self causes numerous problems. Their correction is the subject of this book.

DIRECTIONALITY

Thought begins in the brain and naturally spreads downward to the feet. This is the correct movement of energy for health, development and joy. The brain influences the body, and not the other way around. The Creator’s love is also a downward-moving energy.

Identified as the ego self, I always move energy somewhat upwards from the feet to the head. This is because the ego self is a reaction to fear and guilt. Reaction and fear always move subtle energy upward from the feet toward the head. This results in anxiety, depression and illness.

The Real Self is not a reaction, and fear is no longer real. This makes moving energy downward much easier.

Exercise:

I notice if I am moving energy either upward or downward through the body. When energy moves upward, I am identified with the ego self.

I change my thoughts and identify as the Real Self. This helps move energy downward. Doing the Pushing Down Exercise is also most helpful (see The Pushing Down Exercise on this website).

YANG AND YIN

These words describe tendencies in physics that can help me understand the Real and false selves. Identifying as the false self is much more yin. This means upward moving, colder and more empty. This is the nature of the physical world because this world is a creation of many false selves.

Identifying as the Real Self, I become much more yang. The word means inwardly moving, downward moving, warmer, and more compact. Also, anything that makes the body-mind more yang will assist me to identify as the Real Self. The major way to do this is with a diet of cooked food that includes meat and excludes all fruit, sugars and sweets.

Exercise:

I notice the condition of my body. A more yang body is rare, but has moons on all the fingernails, and on all the toenails except for the baby toes. Also, the eyes are centered in their sockets, and not slightly rolled upwards, a sign of being more yin.

RELATIONSHIPS

INTEGRITY

Integrity means that my entire life - my lifestyle, habits, friends and all else - work together in a wholesome, honest, and meaningful way.

The word integrity is related to the word integrated, which means put together and coordinated properly. It is also related to the word integer, which means a whole number and not fractionated.

The ego self is never in integrity because it is a false self I created out of fear and the false idea of separation from God. It is false because separation never occurred.

Identified as the Real Self, I live more in integrity. I am connected to God, and all things in my life flow from this connection. For more on this topic, read the article entitled Integrity on this website.

Exercise:

When I am identified as the ego self, I often feel confused and perhaps pulled in several directions at once. These are feelings of being out of integrity.

When I identify as the Real Self, there is a unity and coherence about my life. It is a joyous and relaxed feeling.

HELPING OTHERS IS HELPING MYSELF

Identified as the ego self, I am concerned mainly with myself. I may assist others, at times, but this is motivated by a desire to have my ego needs met.

This is called “giving to get”. It is always futile, and amounts to using other people to meet my ego needs.

Identified as the Real Self, there is no separate self. I am one with the Real Self of all others. Helping others is just helping a part of myself.

How this can be true is important. Each soul has a tiny wire or cord attached on its back. These cords are very long. Eventually, all of the cords connect to one another.

Exercise:

I practice helping others with the correct attitude. I do not see others as outside of me, but rather as aspects of my Real Self.

This changes my attitude completely. Now I want to help others in order to help myself. It also makes for a happier world, which I want for myself. Service to others becomes a goal of my life and I reap the rewards, which are great.

OTHERS ARE MY SALVATION

Identified as an ego, I compete with other egos. Some are smarter, wealthier, or more beautiful than I.

However, identified as the Real Self, other people are my salvation. Their Real Selves and mine are one. Interacting with them, I learn who I really am. They mirror to me, providing feedback about how well I am learning my lessons about life. They teach me many things.

Exercise:

As I move through my day, I pay attention and honor others, realizing that they are my teachers and my saviors.

HOLY RELATIONSHIPS

This teaching distinguishes two kinds of relationships. Identified as the ego, I enter into special relationships. These are relationships with “special” people, places, or objects.

They give my ego a boost and temporarily end the loneliness the ego self always feels. Special relationships are always about using another person or thing to satisfy the ego’s wants.

Identified as the Real Self, I enter into holy relationships. These do not involve special people, places or objects. Instead, I extend the Creator’s love to all, without exception. I am so filled with God’s love that it overflows onto everyone I encounter. I can be truly helpful to others because I am not concerned with meeting my ego’s needs.

Exercise:

I notice if I am using anyone just to satisfy the ego’s wants and desires. This tells me that I am in a special relationship, and not a holy one. If this occurs, I step back and change my perspective so that I see the other as part of myself, and not as one whom I can use for the ego’s purposes.

GOD IS MY SOUL MATE

The ego self competes with the Creator for dominance in my life and control over the body and mind. Identified as the ego self, just thinking about God or Creator can frighten me. He might torment and punish me, judging my thoughts and behavior.

Identified as the Real Self, I see the truth. The Creator is the source of all love. My primary relationship is with the Creator. It is a loving and happy relationship that cannot falter. His loving energy fills me always.

All my other relationships depend upon this one. As long as I recall that my primary relationship is with the Creator, all other relationships remain in balance. I need not use people to satisfy the ego.

Exercise:

As I go through my day, I recall that the Creator is my primary relationship. Everyone else is my friend. Relationships with friends are less important, and depend upon my relationship with the Creator.

FREEDOM AND POWER

I AM FREE

The definition of free is unrestrained by any external obligation, power or authority. The ego self is never free. A fabrication of the mind, it is based on guilt and fear. It cannot freely choose. A mere facade, it lacks the authority and independence freedom requires. Although it may enjoy an illusory form of freedom at times, I cannot be free identified as the ego self.

Identified as a body-mind, security is more important than freedom. The ego self supports laws that compromise freedom if they seem to enhance security.

The Real Self lives in a dimension of freedom, the essential quality of the spirit. All Real Selves share one mind. No others are there to constrain it. Uninvolved with this dimension, the world’s rules do not bind it. The physical body may be tortured or imprisoned. It matters not to the Real Self. One with the Creator’s energy, no external power controls it. The Real Self is always free.

The American Declaration Of Independence reflects this idea, beautifully expressed by the nation’s founders. All are born equal and free.

Identified as egos were those who came later. Judges and legislators, the media and the public today do not understand the idea

of freedom as a basic spiritual truth. Unable to comprehend its essence, freedom to these makes little sense. Safety and security, power and control, these matter more.

Exercise:

Identified as the Real Self, freedom is the essence of my true being. Freedom in this world reminds me of this fact. In conditions of

freedom, my spirit is so much happier.

I am free, however, to enslave myself in any of a thousand ways. Believing I am a body-mind is one of those ways. At any time, I can choose again. I practice moving energy downward from my head to my feet because it reminds me that I am free.

I AM SOVEREIGN

Sovereign means superior in position and possessing unlimited

authority, or supreme in power. Victimhood or “subject to” are its opposite. If I identify as the ego, I will feel like a victim.

In part this is because the ego self is created, not creative, cut off from the source of power. It is also delicate and easily hurt by others.

From its position as subject to, it sees a dog-eat-dog world. Some are strong and in control while the majority are their pawns. When one dictator falls, a new one takes his place in a never-ending struggle of survival of the fittest.

Pretending I am not sovereign and powerful is the result of identifying as the ego. Identified as the Real Self, sovereignty is my true condition. I co-create everything that occurs, so powerful am I.

I am never subject to another as all Real Selves share one mind. Aligned with the source of all power, Real Selves live from full power all of the time. If I am unaware of this power, it is because I do not control my thoughts.

Also, I have the authority to give my power away. Many ego-identified people, convinced of their fallibility, fear their own power and willingly give it away. This is how most people live. One gives power away while another takes it on. It is a curious game that so many choose to play.

Leaders eager to gain power over their followers encourage them to blame. This places responsibility and power outside of themselves.

Many want the government or someone else to make them safe and secure. They do not realize that delegating responsibility means giving power away. This reduces safety which gives rise to more fear and greater demands for external authorities. By means of this vicious cycle, loss of personal and political power is the rule on planet earth.

All Real Selves are sovereign and thus I have no power over others. They consent to all that occurs. Power cannot be abused. One oppresses another only with mutual consent. Guilt due to harming others is always untrue.

The word sovereign is often reserved for kings and other monarchs. Among nations, America is unique in declaring that all the people are sovereign. Though power is delegated to the government, its source remains in the citizenry.

Exercise:

I practice living each moment with full power. The following statements I repeat: "I and I alone am sovereign in my life. Never am I a victim of the world I see. I control my life. The power to

change is in my hands".

When I feel like a victim I say, "I am using my full power to give my power away. I now retake my power". When guilty feelings arise, I remember everyone controls their own lives.

ANYTHING I CAN CONCEIVE I CAN ACHIEVE

I achieve little when I identify as the ego self. This occurs because the ego self is limited in its power and its vision.

Identified as the Real Self, my power is unlimited and I can achieve great things. In fact, this is a spiritual principle.

However, even identified as the Real Self, I may not accomplish much. If this occurs, it is only because I made a different commitment.

For example, I may wish to have a new home. So I imagine this home and attempt to have it manifest.

The problem is that in between my positive thoughts about the new home, unconsciously I think negative thoughts. For example, I may think, “I really don’t deserve a new home” or “Perhaps I don’t want a new home”. As a result, the new home does not come to be.

Mixing positive and negative thoughts is a common human trait. It stops me from achieving my goals.

Exercise:

I realize that I can achieve what I wish, but I must control my thoughts. I begin to notice when my mind wanders, focusing on stray thoughts and desires that detract from what I want. The Pushing Down Exercise helps me learn to focus my attention and to stop negative thinking.

THERE ARE NO VICTIMS

In the ego's fearful world, everyone is a potential victim. The latest ones the news announces daily. Who is at fault is the basis for the entire legal system. Ruled by oppression and luck, the world appears as a hazardous place. An unfair world, each seeks his fortune competing with all others.

Opposing logic characterizes those identified as the Real Self. I am in control and everything unfolds based upon my thoughts. No matter what the appearance, there are no victims since all Real Selves

are co-Creators. Cooperation is the theme. The principle applies to everyone, even the most dependent child, as in truth all are aspects of a Real Self.

Those who do not believe in victims are often considered uncaring. How dare one not feel sorry for innocent victims of crime? Although false, this keeps many believing in victims all throughout their lives.

Far more compassionate, according to all their sovereign status assists them to help themselves. If directed by the Holy Spirit, I may work hard to help those in need. I view them as friends, however, not

as victims.

Some say that the idea that there are no victims means that people deserve their suffering. No one, however, is blaming the victim. Everyone deserves the best, though some will choose suffering.

One may choose pain to teach another or awaken a friend. Another may want to learn more about fear or loss. Not knowing, I dare not judge another soul’s situation.

Spiritual paths speak of the law of cause and effect. No one, they say, is exempt. My past behavior determines my life and for this reason there are no victims. One could say, however, this means I am a victim of my past behavior.

In truth, however, when events occur, I am free to respond any way I wish. I remain in control and never am a victim. Also, where

there is perfect love there is no karma.

Exercise:

The idea of victims is pervasive in the world, reinforced daily by the mass media. Subtle forms of the victim identity are thoughts that someone did something to me, something happened to me or another caused my gain or loss.

Playing the victim is comfortable for the ego. Subtle victim phrases used in everyday conversation include I was abandoned, abused, molested, harassed, lied to or manipulated. Few falsehoods, however, are as disempowering and inhibit awakening as much as the belief in victims.

Identified as the Real Self, I cannot be a victim. Though I do not know why events transpire, I know that life is under each one’s control. Others cannot be victims any more than can I. According each his sovereignty is far more compassionate.

If I meet a homeless person, I may decide to give him some money. On another occasion, the guidance may be different. This person can be employed. My help would only get in his way. Rather than deciding that someone is a victim, I wait and listen for the best response.

I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY LIFE

My birth or my position are easy to blame for my situation. The government or my health, perhaps these are to blame. Happy to take credit when things go well, to pin blame the ego often looks outside

itself.

Identified as the Real Self, my sovereignty implies responsibility. I choose my thoughts and my behavior. Others are never to blame. I am always responsible, though I may pretend I am not.

The spiritual lifestyle demands taking full responsibility for every area of life. I am responsible for my health and finances, my work and choice of companions. For my condition, I cease to blame anything outside myself.

If responsibility feels heavy, I have assumed more than my share. Sovereign in my domain, I have no responsibility for others' situations. Within their realm, they too are sovereign co-Creators. If I have children, I am responsible for their health and safety. Beyond this, however, my responsibility is to the Real Self to extend the energy of Love.

Today, responsibility is often linked to guilt. No connection, however, exists between the two. The word responsible means the ability to respond. Guilt, the judgment of culpability, is an entirely

different concept.

Exercise:

Blaming others when things go poorly is the ego’s pattern. When this occurs, I recall that I am responsible for my condition. As the Real Self, I am always in charge of every aspect of my life.

I also realize that others are responsible for their own lives. I help others learn what responsibility means. I let go of those who refuse to take responsibility for themselves.

LOVE

LOVE IS WHAT I AM

Love, for most people, is an ego thrill. One may love cars, sex or music. Sunsets and ocean waves are what others love. Whatever provides the right sensation is considered love.

Projecting aspects of myself makes this kind of love. Instead of feeling beautiful inside, I look for beauty outside of myself. If I project my goodness, I will see goodness outside of myself. Loving the person or thing outside me, I attempt to possess its goodness.

Conditional, this love requires special people, special places or special things. It also depends on the five senses. Often it involves effort and compromise. I will love you (give you what you want) if you do the same for me. It is often short-lived, here one day and gone the

next. When it ends, it easily turns to hate.

If I can project goodness, I can also project anger. This is sometimes called the search for special relationships.

There is another kind of love. It is an energy, not a feeling. From the mysterious source of all things, it flows forth. It is the energy that creates all things. It is 'the force' in the Star Wars movies. It is the 'tao' in taoism. Like a giant generator, it is the power source for all of creation. If it were to stop, all would disappear.

This love never wanes. It is present always, though I may choose to ignore it. It flows freely to everyone and everything. It never compels or demands. It is never conditional, nor does it bind.

Indeed, it sets others free. It is fulfilled within itself and does not depend on anything external. Within this text, the word love refers to this creative energy, the essence of the Real Self.

This love never focuses on just one person, activity or object. It has little to do with sex, romance, friends or family. It has nothing to do with anyone else. It cannot be bargained for and never involves compromise. It never takes or uses, and simply flows forth. It is a quiet, gentle energy that heals and nourishes the body-mind. Ego sensations may seem more exciting, but it depletes the body.

This kind of love may not appear compassionate. The need for this love must be satisfied from within. Giving others what they think

they want may not serve them. Saying ‘no’ may be the loving thing to do. This encourages others to search more deeply. Tough love, this is sometimes called.

The creative energy of love may take many forms. Like the “dark side of the force” these include war and terror. They, too, are expressions of the one energy of love. There is no other force. What some call evil is love applied in ways I do not understand. Knowing this helps me not to judge. I remain at peace and wish all souls well.

Exercise:

I feel the limitations of the ego's loves. I am relieved to know there is another kind of love. It is here for me all of the time. So that I can give this kind of love, I choose to receive it.

To bring in more of this love, I do the pushing down or pulling down exercise described at www.drlwilson.com. One visualization is to sit or lie quietly and imagine myself underneath a powerful waterfall or shower.

I let go of any resistance and allow the Creator's love to flow through me. With some practice, I may feel the Creator's love pouring into me.

This exercise is most effective when I actively draw the energy down into myself. With practice, I create a powerful downward flow. Each day I practice for an hour or two. I carry the feeling with me throughout the entire day.

I AM THE EXTENSION OF THE CREATOR'S

LOVE INTO THIS WORLD OF FORM

Identified as an ego, I take on many roles. I am a parent or a friend, a student or a worker. An imperfect being, I fumble my way through life. The belief that I am pure love is not one held by many people. I seem too flawed for this to be true. This perception stems from identifying as the ego.

Identified as the Real Self, I am an expression of the Creator’s love. I can only be its extension into the world of form. This is my true identity, no matter what the appearance. The Real Self is love. The body is only a shell or vehicle.

This truth does not depend on the body’s health, behavior or other circumstances. I cannot change it by believing its opposite. I can, however, block the awareness that I am love by believing I am the ego, or that something exists other than love. I give up any held beliefs that block the flow of love. These may include that I am unworthy or I am undeserving.

Such beliefs may apply to the false self. They cannot apply to the Real Self that is one with the Creator. I let go of all hatred and judgment of myself.

The Real Self lives by grace. Into my life I welcome the good, the holy and the beautiful. As I correct my thinking, I realize more and more that I am the extension of the Creator’s love into this world of form.

Exercise:

Sitting quietly, I imagine myself in the womb of the Creator. The warmth of the Creator's love enfolds and caresses me. I feel safe and secure, and totally at peace. Within the womb I am relaxed, nourished and protected. I enjoy this feeling and realize it is the truth of my existence.

I do this exercise often. After a while, I am able to bring the feeling of grace with me into my daily life.

THE CREATOR’S DESIRE IS THAT I BE HAPPY

Identified as the ego self, I may feel guilty and like a sinner. Perhaps the Creator has terrible plans for me. I may run away from religion or spirituality to avoid this feeling. I may run to material pleasures and loves. This the world calls happiness, running from

fear and death.

To allay my guilt, I may believe the Creator asks that I accomplish some difficult mission. Life becomes a struggle. I cannot relax. I may work too hard or take my life too seriously. Cut off from the source of love, the ego cannot know real happiness.

Identified as the Real Self, I am the extension of the Creator’s love into this world of form. To extend love into the world through me is the Creator’s desire. This does not require a struggle. Since love is what I am, extending love is my true happiness.

Neither an activity nor an occupation, extending love is a decision made in every moment. Whether home alone or at a job, I choose to be happy extending the love that I am.

Exercise:

If I feel condemned, I have falsely identified as an ego. Others identified as egos may have taught me that I am a sinner very early in my life.

I am not condemned, however, nor am I a sinner. I am one with the Creator, who asks only that I be happy. Happiness is identifying as the Real Self and blessing the world with the love that I am. Relaxed, I work at my own pace, focused on extending love.

I LOVE ALL OF MYSELF

Unlike other created beings, I can know what I am. This is different from knowing who I am. Who often refers to the ego realm. What I am refers to my basic identity.

The love I am I can feel. I see beauty outside because I am beautiful within. The Creator can be self aware through me. Knowing what I am helps maintain my focus. Learning to feel what I am is my first task.

Extending love is my happiness. Love must first flow to me to be extended to others. I accept love into myself so that I may extend it to others.

Loving myself means I accept all of my creations. This includes the ones that do not turn out as I expected. It also means I accept my appearance and my personality. I accept my abilities and my shortcomings. I accept that all traits are subject to change. I give myself permission to be what I am. I let go of anyone who will not allow me to be myself.

Exercise:

Even when life appears to be in a mess, I continue to love myself and all of my creations. I repeat often, "I am loved, I am loving and I am lovable, forever". I continue repeating this statement until it feels perfectly comfortable. "I am loved, I am loving and I am lovable, forever".

I AM EITHER IN LOVE OR IN FEAR

In every moment, I experience fear or love. Fear appears as an energy, but in fact, it is just the absence of love. Fear is not a real energy so one can say fear is unreal. The world often teaches that “He was stricken with fear”. In reality, however, fear cannot strike because fear is not an energy.

Darkness “falling” is similar to fear striking. Darkness does not fall and fear does not strike. Darkness is only the absence of light and fear the absence of love.

Identified as an ego, however, I forget the love that I am. Fear will then appear. I can throw a blanket over a light bulb. Darkness then will seem to appear. However, it is just the absence of light.

With a person or thing I may think I can “fall in love”. This is never right. I am already one with the Creator of love. Identified as the Real Self, I am in Love all of the time. Never does the love of the

Creator depend on external factors.

Another’s presence may remind me that I am loved. I may then allow the Creator’s love to flow to me. The love, however, never comes from another person. It comes from my decision to accept a love that was always present.

More often, I fall out of love when I meet one I think I love. Seeking comfort or support from others, I may separate myself from the Creator’s love. This occurs often and leads to relationship problems. Eventually, I realize that something has gone wrong.

I may blame my partner when the fault lies with me.

I recall that all love is from the Creator and it never ceases. The Creator is my true soul mate. Everyone else is my friend. I can choose at any time to be in Love, rather than in fear.

Exercise:

I can only be in fear or in love. When I am angry, sad or anxious, I am fearful. When I find myself in fear, I have forgotten my divine self. Recalling the truth, love again flows to me.

LOVE CYCLES AND FEAR CYCLES

Both love and fear feed upon themselves. This results in escalating cycles of love or fear.

Identified as the ego self, I am prone to cycles of fear. Vicious cycles, these are also called.

Fear causes projection. I project my fear because feeling it is unpleasant. The more I project my fear into the world, the more fearful the world appears. This makes me more fearful, and the cycle continues.

Cycles of fear can also occur with the body. Panic attacks or anxiety attacks, these are called. A fearful thought causes a bodily reaction. This leads to more fear, which worsens the bodily reaction. Soon the body is shaking and out of control.

A more subtle example is that fear worsens my digestion. This interferes with my nutrition, thus weakening the body. This leads to more fear, and the cycle slowly escalates. Death of the body can be the result of this vicious cycle.

Identified as the Real Self, I experience love cycles. I am here to extend the love of the Creator into this world of form. I do this in many ways, through my work, relationships, family and hobbies.

Even while driving my car, I bless and extend love to the other drivers. This improves my health and increases my joy. This, in turn, enables me receive more love from the Creator, which I then extend into the world. It is a cascade effect of more and more love spread unto the world. I benefit, and so does the world.

Exercise:

I practice extending the love of the Creator into this world. It matters not where I am or what I am doing. This helps set up cycles of love.

When fear arises, I quickly shift my consciousness back to extending love. This is the only way to prevent cycles of fear.

I AM HERE TO BRING CONTENT TO THE

WORLD OF FORM

As the Real Self, there is an important reason for associating with a body-mind. It is not to struggle or suffer, make money or have a family. While I have talents and abilities, the purpose is far more profound. My purpose in taking on a body is to bring content to the world of form.

Bodies, houses, the stars and the sea, all are forms or structures. Content is the essence of things, the creative energy of the universe. Physicists know that what appears as solid is really only energy. Content is the energy that permeates all form. Here content and love mean the same thing.

There is a need to know that life is not just form. To teach this fact I have come to earth. This stems from compassion for the suffering of its people. Pain arises by focusing on form while ignoring deeper reality. Content is the essence that provides all meaning, while forms are merely shells. If more people understood this, peace would come to the planet. No longer would people argue over forms when the love they seek is already here.

To be as a light in the world is my true purpose. I have come to teach that content, not form, is primary. I have come to extend the love that I am. First I remember this truth about myself. I then teach it to all those around me. This is the essence of being a friend.

A friend is anything that reminds me of the truth of what I am. For as long as required, a friend holds the space of truth. Though miles away or even without a body, a friend sees right through the ego self, to the Real Self I am.

The ego also has its friends. Others like itself are these, along with alcohol, drugs and other diversions. They help it forget its true nature. I choose those as friends who remind me to identify as

the Real Self.

Exercise:

I imagine steps leading to a house. I step up and walk through the door. Inside is a large room with figures sitting around a table. Each radiates a golden glow. Realizing they are my friends, I join them. Together we serve the Creator as emissaries of love upon the planet.

I DO NOT SEEK FOR LOVE

The ego mind feels separate from the love of the Creator. As a substitute, it searches for what it calls love. Its problem is it does not know what it is looking for. A product of fear and guilt, it thinks that

pleasure is love. Distraction, comfort and support from others are what it calls love.

The Real Self is made of love, the energy of the Creator. It is very different from pleasure or support that depend on others.

Seeking for love implies that I do not have it. This is always untrue. In seeking for it, I have lied to myself. I also set myself up for nothing but frustration. For how can I find something I already

have. This is like looking for treasure far away when it awaits me right at home.

Most people spend their entire lives seeking for love in one or another form. A career, a relationship, fame or fortune, the list is endless. In the world, I may find pleasure, support or companionship. I will not find the love of the Creator.

I realize the futility of the search. The love I seek is within me and I am here to extend it. Understanding this helps others recall it is within them as well.

Exercise:

Rather than seek for love, I decide to be the presence of love. As the Real Self, I am the source of love. Seeking for love outside of myself makes no sense.

I imagine a light or fire radiating from the middle of my chest. Like the sun it shines forth, illuminating all that is around. It shines forward and backward, to the left and to the right, above and

below.

At first it radiates just around me. I increase its power to encompass my surroundings, my city and finally the entire planet earth. I practice radiating love every single day.

PAST AND PRESENT

I REMAIN IN THE PRESENT MOMENT

The ego always lives in the past or the future. This is how it escapes its fear and guilt. The ego loves to give special meaning to the past, based on its own perceptions. It also builds a solid future that, in fact, does not exist.

If I am living in the past or future, I am identified as the ego. I am living in the past if I feel guilt or remorse. Fear or anxiety mean I am in the future.

The present is all there is. The Real Self always remains here. All knowledge and opportunity is in the present. Concerns of the past are handled in the present. To prepare for the future, live in the here and now.

To build a house, I need some plans. If a meeting begins at nine, I must leave by eight. These activities I can handle in present time. Setting long-term goals, however, tempts me to live in an uncertain future. Planning needs to be flexible and responsive to changes in present time.

I may confuse living in the moment with so-called 'living it up'. Living in the present is a heightened state of awareness. Living for the present is indulging the ego. It denies real living, and substitutes for it a thrill.

Exercise:

The following help me stay in the present: "I am in the right place at the right time.” “Over and over, thousands of times, my mind is trained to stay right here". "If I feel guilty, I have slipped into the past.” “If I find myself anxious or afraid, I am stuck in the future".

"Finding myself remorseful, I have slipped into the past. “When I feel anxious or am caught up with goals, I am in the future.” “If I am not in present time I bring myself back right away".

MY PAST AND PRESENT ARE PERFECT

The ego self loves to dwell on the dramas of the past, blaming it for its present situation. Identified as the Real Self, perfect was my past. Though perhaps painful, awakening is all that mattered. Events were set up to help break my ego patterns. Mediated by the Holy Spirit, all was done in perfection.

I cannot honestly say what would have happened if things had been different. Struck by a train might have been my end. I might have been so full of slumber I never would have opened to change.

Perfect health, perfect parents or perfect relationships may not be such blessings.

Awake, aware, and a bit bruised, for all that transpired I give thanks. The past may have been painful within its perfection. I release the pain and allow the memories to fade.

My present also is perfect. What I need for my awakening the Holy Spirit brings to me. I do not know what is required, so I do not judge. What others need to awaken I also do not know. I refrain from judging their lives as imperfect in any way.

Although the present is perfect, I may not agree with others' behavior. To learn about self and others, many turn to fighting. They walk away when the lessons have been learned. The effects on the human bodies may be unfortunate, but less important than the lessons.

I am not required to stop their fights. I may decide to act or I may not. I can live in the world, perfect just the way it is. Knowing that all is well, I can be at peace.

Exercise:

When memories arise, I recall that the past was perfect. All that mattered is my awakening. This greatly assists in releasing unhappy memories.

The present is perfect as well. The Holy Spirit brings to me exactly what I need. I observe world events without drawing conclusions. I see the good in everyone and everything, and wish all beings well.

I HAVE FOUND. I SEEK NO MORE

The ego cannot discern the truth. Instead, information it amasses. Like a computer, it is only a calculating machine with a giant memory.

Connected to the source, the Real Self already knows all things. Choosing to identify as the Real Self, the search for truth has ended.

Many teachings recommend that I seek for truth. Seekers, however, are confused because their egos are still in charge. The ego loves to seek but not to find. For if it found the truth, its purpose would exist no more. I remain a seeker if I identify as the ego,

a substitute for the truth of what I am.

Some will say no more seeking is a way of avoiding problems. It can seem like denial of the process of the journey. Seeking, however, is often more of a distraction. I remain in the present. I experience and embrace all that arises.

From the ego mind, the spiritual search begins. As other methods fail to bring security or control, the ego looks for new ones. The search for meaning is one of these. Little does it know that if pursued deeply, this search will end all searching.

By deciding I have found, I set up a new dynamic. Saying and knowing I have found affirms this is the truth. This helps it to be achieved. Affirming that I am a seeker implies I have not found, perpetuating the idea of seeking. Priding myself for seeking is like taking pride in trying. It is not the same as finding and doing.

The spiritual journey has two phases. The first is the journey to the kingdom. This, the spiritual search, is to end as soon as possible. The rest of one's life is spent in the second phase, the journey within the kingdom. There is little to do in this phase but celebrate and bless this world. I am transformed, identified as the Real Self all of the time. I have a different energy that some will notice.

Exercise:

I catch myself when I speak words related to seeking. These include "I do not know", "I am confused", and "I am ignorant". Others are "I cannot figure it out" and "this does not make any sense".

I replace these words with the thought that I am knowing. I relax and allow the truth of all things to be revealed to me. Confident am I (con fideo, meaning 'with faith') that I will know all things as I need to know them.

THE WORLD

I AM HERE TO RADIATE, NOT TO ABSORB

Identified as the ego self, I tend to absorb the energies of those around me. Even watching the television may cause me to absorb the projections of other egos, none of which are pleasant. The result is impaired health, depression and other problems.

Identified as the Real Self, I am here to radiate the love of the Creator into this world. That is my only real “job” and I do it wherever I go and in whatever I do.

I have not come to absorb the world’s misery. Instead of living the truth of what I am, taking in others' vibrations will surely make me ill. I can have empathy and compassion without absorbing the thoughts of others. To radiate, not to absorb, is the reason I am here.

For women, attracting and absorbing come naturally. They help ensure survival of the race. So women have to work a little harder than men to overcome their natural tendency to absorb, rather than to radiate.

Women may say, “If I am not attracting, won’t I spend my life alone?” Radiating the love of the Creator to all around you is very attractive. Absorbing the projections of other ego selves is not nearly as attractive.

Exercise:

I sit quietly and close my eyes. I imagine a powerful light located in the center of my chest. It shines outward into this world in all directions. I allow this feeling to flourish and grow within me. Each time I practice this exercise, it helps remind me that I am here to radiate, not to absorb.

ALL THE WORLD IS A STAGE

Believing this world is all there is, the scandals and killing are all too real. The ego struggles to do its best and hopes all will turn out well.

Identifying as the Real Self, the world is a giant theater stage. Here egos act out their dramas. Some choose to be oppressors while others are their victims. Some are villains while others are saints. Some choose life as a tragedy while others choose romance or adventure.

I recall the world is a stage. In this sense, it is not real. No one is playing for keeps. I can step back and enjoy the play. Bodies come and go while the Real Selves remain. All Real Selves are the same in

power and ability.

Like an actor who confuses stage life with what is real, I may at times confuse my Real Self with my role. Unless I am vigilant, over and over will this happen. When it occurs, I step back, recalling what I am. I can laugh at myself and the folly of the play. I need not conform to a world that is not real.

Some teachings suggest that everyone should act a certain way. Kind and generous is the way all must be. This is indeed a noble goal. Yet from my Real Self must this come. If not, to assuage its guilt, good behavior is another ego trick.

Identified as an ego, better to play the role well. The Holy Spirit directs the play to assist egos to wake up. If with its part it is unhappy, the ego may switch its role. The spiritual search it may also begin, to finally wake up. This is the ultimate purpose of the entire drama.

An integral part of this dimension, I cannot exit the play while I am here. I can, however, participate and yet step back and enjoy it.

Exercise:

The world is but a stage play. As long as I have a body, I too play a role. Taking my role too seriously would be a great mistake. If I become bored, I can change my part. I allow myself to play my role unafraid of what others may think. Each role has consequences, but none are greater.

I do not confuse my acting with the Real Self that I am. My Real Self is greater than any role and cannot be confined.

NO EXCESSIVE SERIOUSNESS ALLOWED

I play in this dimension. The world I see is a projection, as on a movie screen. As with any movie, taking it too seriously is a mistake.

Excessive seriousness is always out of alignment. A mark of wisdom is a sense of humor. Playfulness is always a quality of enlightenment. One may ask, "How can I laugh when I have no money?" "How can I be happy when I feel terrible?" The answer is

I can, and often it leads to healing.

Some say a lack of sobriety means frivolity and no commitment. Commitment is important, but need not be somber. A light-hearted approach goes a long way to smooth the bumps in life.

Exercise:

I can laugh about the stage play that is this world. I see the humor in everyone and everything. I make no exceptions and make sure to laugh at myself as well.

Subjects such as money, politics and religion make many people overly serious. I refuse to become this way. I play every day.

This does not mean I do not care or am irresponsible. I appreciate money and use it wisely, like a prop in a play, to help express the love that I am. I do not ignore anything, but neither am I too serious about this world of form. This keeps everything in the proper perspective.

I CHOOSE TO WAKE UP

Identified as the ego self, I exist in a hypnotic state believing the physical world is all that is real. All my suffering stems from this.

It is tempting to remain asleep. There is always more to dream. The world pulls me back into the exciting world of dreams. Until one wakes up, dreams always seem real. Nor is waking up pleasant, at first. Awakening may be unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

I can delay awakening as long as I wish. I may awaken for a time and then go back to sleep. The Holy Spirit helps me awaken, but the choice is always mine. Most others are asleep. If I associate with

certain ones, I will tend to fall back asleep.

To awaken permanently, I decide I have had enough of dreams. I have had enough of victimhood, fear and anger. I have had enough of accidents and disease. I miss too much of life, like sleeping through most of the day. I choose to identify as the Real Self and give thanks for my awakening.

Exercise:

As though in a hypnotic trance, most are asleep in the dream of this world. I have had enough of this and I set my intent. I choose to awaken and stay awake. Preferring reality over illusion, I choose to live rather than to just exist. I choose companions who also want to awaken.

I ask the Holy Spirit to bring whatever I need for awakening to occur. Identified as the Real Self, I realize how asleep I was. Awakening, the dream of this world is nothing more than a projection of many ego selves.

MY HABITS DO NOT CONTROL ME

The ego self is a creature of habit. Its worst habit is its fearfulness. Controlled by their habits, most people live unconsciously a good portion of their lives. Identified as egos, they can know no other way of living.

The ego’s habits make it feel comfortable and in control. Powerless, its routines compensate for fear and insecurity. Breaking one of its habits exposes its fear.

I look at the ego like a stranger in my life. I say, “This is not the real me”. The ego helped me for a while. For this, I am grateful. Now I am ready to renounce its control. No longer must I obey its commands. The Holy Spirit is my new guide.

Instead of habits, I learn discipline. This is not about forcing change. Discipline, from the word disciple, is a honing of a skill. It is more like a musician who practices day after day until his skill increases and the musical piece sounds right. Over time, I train the ego mind to respond to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Having broken free of habit, I may still seem like a creature of habit. I may arise at the same time. I may eat the same breakfast. These are disciplines, however, which are very different from habits. I am equally comfortable with a different schedule.

Exercise:

Slowly and gently, I let go of the ego’s habits. The ego’s cravings are not mine, but those of a small part of me. I am grateful to understand this even when the ego still exerts control.

Anxiety may come up as I let go of habits. Breathing deeply, I observe it. I recall that I am loved, I am loving, and I am lovable, forever, no matter what I do. Little by little, habits lose their power and slowly fade away.

THY WILL BE DONE

The ego self thinks it knows best how to live. Its fear and guilt, however, always affect its perception. They limit its vision, and it cannot know truth. Always preferable to the ego’s judgments is the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The problem with this guidance from the ego’s point of view is its loss of control. It may say, “Thy Will be done”, but giving up control it finds most difficult. A crisis is often required, experienced as a “dark night of the soul”.

The Will of the Creator is that I be happy. Nothing more does it wish. Happiness for me is identifying as the Real Self and extending the love that I am.

I am to do the Creator's Will, not the will of others. This attitude may sound selfish. In fact, it is the essence of psychological health. As I receive, I am free to care for others. Placing the needs of others first leads to burnout.

I cease to allow others’ opinions or the ego’s judgments to run my life. Instead, I ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and give thanks for its boundless wisdom.

Exercise:

Slowly I learn to distinguish the ego’s desires from my true Will, that of the Creator. The ego always seeks pleasure and comfort. The Creator only wishes that I bless and forgive this world. He wishes that I awaken to the truth of what I am, even if this involves some pain.

To help me learn the Will of the Creator, I sit quietly or lie down and close my eyes. I take a deep breath and relax as I exhale. Then I pull subtle energy straight downward from my head all the way to my feet, and a little beyond. This becomes easier with practice.

I do this daily for at least one hour. It helps open the brain centers that allow me to hear the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then I ask for help and allow the answers to come. Since often the ego mind speaks first, I wait and discern the Creator’s Will for me.

I CHOOSE TO ALLOW MY LIGHT TO SHINE

Fearful and guilty, the ego self is insecure. Identifying as the ego, I often feel alone. I may fear rejection. Afraid of being different, I may hide my light.

Identified as the Real Self, I am one with the Creator. The spark of individuality remains, though I am one with all. This paradox is the essence of the Real Self. Like the cells of the body, all share the DNA yet each is a specialist. Awareness of the whole exists alongside separateness. This differs from the ego self, totally cut off from the source.

When I am most myself, I connect best with others. My Real Self is one with theirs. When I hide my light, I do not connect as well. I block my essence, the love that I am. Though the world may reward it, I serve no one when I hide. Letting my light shine is not the same as rebelling, though I may seem like a rebel. Letting my light shine forth is being honest and authentic.

Exercise:

I notice when I dress just to be accepted. I notice when I say what others want to hear. Pleasing others or conforming out of fear

denies who I am.

I stay honest in spite of pressure, even if I offend at times. I take my cues from the Holy Spirit. I may seem a bit outrageous as I let my light shine forth.

WORK IS SERVICE

The ego self works for money, or perhaps to build a reputation or name for itself. Fame and fortune are often its goals. It often does as little work as possible, preferring idleness and sloth.

Identified as the Real Self, I view work as service. This is a key to understanding work.

Work means doing something that is of value to others. Work is not just “keeping busy”. Work is doing something that others need. This is why work, as opposed to hobbies, earns money for people. People are very willing to pay for work, but not for just activity of any kind.

Exercise:

I notice which activities of mine bring in money, and it is a way of knowing which are valid work that provides value to others.

JUDGMENT AND DISCERNMENT

ALL EVENTS ARE NEUTRAL

All events are neutral means that, of themselves, events have no meaning. Like acts on a stage, they are neither good nor bad. I give meaning to events through my judgments of them, and through my fears.

A rainstorm of itself is a neutral event. Rain may spoil my picnic, so I judge that rain is bad. If, however, I am a farmer, crops need rain so rain is judged to be good. Too much rain might not be good for the crops, so that may be judged as bad.

If events were not neutral, I would be their victim. Since events are always neutral, I am never a victim of events. Only the ego, judging all events, perceives itself as a victim.

I give value to events through the process of perception. Learning how perception works is the key to understanding the ego mind. Perception is the way the brain interprets what it sees. By means of a complex filtering system designed to insure survival,

it sorts and categorizes each event.

Perception can lead to judgment, either approving or disapproving of that which I perceive. Judgment results in projection. I throw out into the world that which in myself I reject. The more I judge, the more I project. As a result, the world appears to be a more

fearful place. Then I judge it even more, causing a vicious cycle.

How I perceive is based on what I think I am. Events are often frightening if I identify as an ego. Bombs, earthquakes and disease it judges as bad. Identifying as the Real Self, waking up is all that matters. An earthquake, if it helps, is perfect. The converse is also true. The ego may perceive an event as great, while the Real Self may not even notice.

Exercise:

When I allow events to take on meaning, I remember the value comes from within myself. It will depend on what I think I am. To perceive the neutrality of events, I set aside judgments. Instead, I see the Holy Spirit at work in all that occurs. This is true perception.

I FORGIVE SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN TIMES

Harsh and condemning, the ego blames and judges. Blame comes from the mind, never from the heart. It contracts the body, leaving a negative feeling.

Forgiving is letting go of judgment. I let everyone and everything off the hook, no grudges do I hold. I realize all my problems come from identifying as an ego. No one else is to blame.

Identified as the Real Self, I discern rather than judge. Discerning is a unique process. I gently feel my way toward the best course of action. As I approach it, the body expands and relaxes as the creative energy flows. Passed over, but not condemned, is the way not chosen.

Forgiving does not mean condoning another’s words or actions. Nor does it mean I must stay in touch. I might send a person to jail if he acts wrongly. However, I seek not revenge, nor do I act from fear or anger.

Forgiving, I let people go. The one most needful of forgiveness is none other than myself. I forgive myself for believing I am an ego. I forgive myself for believing the world is real. I forgive myself for believing I make mistakes. Most of all, I forgive myself for judging and blaming myself. I forgive myself for my misperceptions.

The more I forgive myself, the easier it is to forgive others. Letting go of blame and judgment, I relax and feel happy. The world is a stage and no one is condemned.

Forgiving is also an expression of my power. The ability to forgive makes me stronger than my adversaries. A victim who forgives ceases to be a victim. Others can no longer use my anger to upset me.

Through forgiveness I transform. Forgiving over and over is a fast way to break old patterns. I begin to understand that no one hurts me without my consent. I co-create my life. Others help me enact my dramas. I can change whenever I want.

Exercise:

Awakening requires forgiving everyone for everything – no exceptions. When I don't hold any grudges, I am forgiving. I discern instead of judging. To help me understand discernment, I imagine tuning a flute. If it sounds out of tune, I adjust it and try again. It may take several tries until it sounds in tune.

Judging is different. It is more like saying, "I don't like that note. That note is bad. I am bad for playing it. I must play differently". This simple example helps me feel the difference between judging and discerning.

I practice forgiving every single day. It becomes a habit like getting dressed each morning. I forgive friends and family. I forgive crazy drivers. I forgive politicians. Most of all, I forgive myself. I forgive each and every day. I bless everyone and set them free.

ALL JUDGMENT IS OF MYSELF

Identified as the ego self, I stare out through the body’s eyes. The world appears to consist of many separate selves. Happy or sad, friendly or threatening, the ego judges based on its perceptions.

As the Real Self, I am not inside this body. Inside of me is the body. There are no separate selves, only the illusion of separation. All Real Selves are one with each other and with the Creator.

The world I see is a projection of my thoughts. All I see are aspects of myself. Judging others, I judge aspects of myself. To assist me to awaken, these actors in my drama cooperate by playing their parts. Knowing this helps me stop judging others.

An atom bomb or a war are aspects of myself. When a flower blooms or a child is born, these, too, are aspects of myself.

Anyone or anything that causes a negative reaction is something unwanted in myself. I am grateful to see the projection. I thank others for showing it to me. I forgive myself for my misperception and judgment of this aspect of myself.

Exercise:

When tempted to judge another, I recall that judgment is always of myself. All are aspects of the One Self that we are. When tempted to judge another I say, “This is an interesting aspect of myself.”

Rather than judge, I give thanks for having seen this projected part of myself. This assists me to forgive myself and others.

If I meet a homeless person, rather than judge I say to myself, “When have I felt homeless?” If someone tries to hurt me, rather than judge I reflect, “When have I wanted to hurt another?” When on television I see a person starving, I say to myself, “When have I in some way starved myself?”

This type of reasoning helps me recall that everything I see is an aspect of myself. I need not judge it or fix it. It is enough just to observe it.

MY ISSUES ARE NEVER JUST MINE

Many people think their issues are unique. My problem is from my childhood or my bad judgment. It is mine and none like it exists. Feeling this way often leads to self-judgment. The more I judge myself, the worse I feel. This can result in even more judgment, causing a vicious cycle.

Everyone, it is true, creates their own circumstances in order to awaken. No issue, however, is purely personal. Thousands of others

deal with issues the same as mine. Whether family or money, depression or anxiety, my issues are never just mine.

Identified as the Real Self, no personal issues exist. All Real Selves share one mind. Feeling lack at times, is it not possible I have agreed to take on this common concern? Perhaps I have done so out of compassion to heal it for others as well as for myself.

After all, I have more resources than most of the world's people. I have agreed to help others by dealing with this issue myself.

The same principle applies to illness and other problems. Connected to the whole, I will feel its pain and assist its healing. Though I may not realize it, I am so powerful that I choose to help heal the most weighty of issues. Recalling this helps avoid guilt and self-judgment that only slow my awakening.

Exercise:

In taking on problems and healing them, I celebrate my power and greatness. I recognize no issue is mine alone. All are collective

issues. It does not concern me why certain ones I have chosen. My focus is just to heal them.

In order to awaken, the Holy Spirit brings to me exactly what I need. Giving up or feeling sorry for myself really accomplish nothing. In the future, I will just have to face the issues again. Instead, I cease to blame myself for my problems, realizing they are never just mine. I assume full responsibility and forge ahead courageously.

I NEED DO NOTHING

This idea is confusing. Deeply held in most people is the belief in compulsion. Based in fear, the ego self often feels like a victim. Life often appears as a struggle with forces one cannot control. Compelled by outside forces, it often says "I should", "I must" or "I have to" do this or that.

The Real Self is sovereign. Identified as the Real Self, I choose all that I do. I choose to eat and to breathe, to work and to sleep. I choose to associate with a body and I choose to maintain it. Everything related to the body is also a choice. Once I make the

choice for a body, other choices follow. All these stem, however, from a previous choice. Nothing in my life is forced upon me.

The statement 'I need do nothing' does not mean that I do nothing. It means I act from choice. I do nothing out of compulsion. I am never forced to act. Therefore I am always in control. 'I need do nothing' affirms the truth of my sovereignty. In reality, all that I do is

from choice.

I am more effective when I do not act out of compulsion. Graceful and orderly, I accomplish more when I am not pushed or forced.

The voluntary nature of all that I do is a basic spiritual principle, one of the most fundamental. It is the basis for classical liberal thought of the 18^th century.

The founders of America based their society on voluntary exchanges between citizens. Rights to freely contract and associate, and to write and speak freely derive from the spiritual principle of voluntarism. Capitalism and a market economy mean voluntary economic exchanges between people. This is the opposite of compulsion, which characterizes socialism, communism, social democracy, dictatorship and monarchies.

Exercise:

I notice when I say "I have to", "I ought to", "I should" or "I must". These words imply weakness and victim status. When I use these words, I speak untruths. They have no place in my life.

All I do I choose. I need do nothing. When I speak the truth, I feel empowered.

I CHOOSE TO BE AT PEACE

Peace can be of several types. The absence of war and strife is peace for the ego. Dependent on compromise, it is always temporary. Though peace seems to reign, inside fear and blame persist. For the next battle, fearful egos prepare.

Connected to the source of love, the Real Self is at peace within. Connected to all others, cooperation is its theme. Independent of conditions, this peace cannot be bargained for. It is a way of being that exists in my mind.

Abraham Lincoln once declared, “People are about as happy as they choose to be". One could also say, "people are about as peaceful as they choose to be".

Identifying as the Real Self, I am at peace within. This does not mean I am a doormat or that I walk on eggshells. Nor does it imply I compromise or I do not care. It means inside I am at peace.

This also does not mean I am a pacifist who judges as bad any use of force. I do not judge anything as good or bad. If friends or family were threatened, perhaps I would employ force. I would act, however, from a place of peace within. The Holy Spirit guides me to discern the best response in every situation.

Exercise:

I choose to be at peace within by identifying as the Real Self. This way I can live from a place of peace. This has little to do with peace in the world.

Here egos enact their fearful dreams. Living in the world, I may respond with force, if needed, as directed by the Holy Spirit. To stop those who would harm others, the use of force may be required. I teach peace by radiating the essence of what I am.

I ALLOW, RATHER THAN STRIVE

To compensate for weakness and for feeling alone, the ego always strives. Acting tough, competing or trying to please others are common ways it behaves. Those identified as egos believe they make their lives happen.

Connected to the source of love, the Real Self allows. Allowing assumes what I need is already available. My task is to receive it into my daily life. 'Love waits upon my welcome' is an expression of this idea. Becoming receptive and open, I choose to allow. Knowing all good awaits me, I give thanks for things unseen.

Allowing does not require a struggle. Work feels very different when I do not compete with others. I express what I am and assist others to express themselves. I do not seek outer rewards as I am fulfilled from within.

What I do is not as important as how I do it. In order to allow, I learn to relax. This permits the energy of love to flow through me. Empty of self, empty of striving, love flows through me to the world.

Exercise:

Identified as the Real Self, I allow rather than strive. I relax, breathe deeply and radiate the love that I am. I stay active in the world without pushing or forcing. That which is already mine is all I need receive. Neither greed nor ambition can find a home in me.

Successful and fulfilled am I. If I notice I am striving with the ego self, I recall what I am and let go of the struggle.

I LIVE FOR THE TRUTH

The ego mind, unsure of itself, seeks safety and convenience first. Truth is not one of its high values, and in many people it is not a value at all. In fact, ego selves dislike clear moral codes such as the 10 Commandments of Moses, which has guided the growth of Western civilization.

Instead, ego selves often like the idea of moral relativism. This is a new age idea that is a judgment on any form of standards. Such people say, “I have my truth and you have your truth”. I do what feels good and I don’t like fixed standards”. Feelings, which are often deceptive, determine their behavior. Rigidly following earthly standards, they say, just leads to blame and judgment. These separate a person from others and often lead to conflict.

Identified as the Real Self, there is only one truth. I ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and discern in every moment. This is one difference between this teaching and the new age idea of moral relativism.

This teaching embraces absolute truths. If this causes some conflict, so be it. This is the only way some people learn about truth.

Exercise:

I cease to judge myself and others by my feelings. As I identify more with the Real Self, I understand moral codes such as the Ten Commandments as signposts that point the way to an ordered and sane life. The word commandment in Hebrew means a signpost, not a rule.

At times, I may seem soft and at others tough or hard. In an instant, I may change my mind, always guided by the Holy Spirit with whom I check constantly. It may look like I live free as the wind. This does not mean I have no standards. Mine, in fact, are stricter than any earthly laws.

I GIVE FROM FULLNESS

I am here to give forth the love that I am. This, however, can occur in two different ways. Giving can arise from fullness or emptiness.

Empty of love is the ego self. Out of compulsion or in order to get something are how it gives. It gives from guilt or fear, need or obligation, or to offset low self-worth.

When I feel pressured to give, I am about to give from emptiness. Feeling the need to give some more comes when giving from emptiness. When I feel depleted, giving is from emptiness.

Identified as the Real Self, I can give from fullness. First, I allow the love of the Creator to fulfill me within. Then and only then, the love overflows onto those around me.

Giving in this way is natural and effortless. I never feel compelled or drained by this type of giving. The standards of the Real Self may be quite different. Out of guilt, fear or compulsion may have been much of my giving. Now, I give only when I am filled within. Not only does this feel much better, it assists all those around me.

In order to give from fullness, it helps to be in excellent health. Improving my nutrition and avoiding toxic chemicals assist me to give from a state of health.

Exercise:

I hold a cup under the water faucet. When it fills up completely, it spills out all around me. Giving from fullness is giving like this. All that is required is to receive for myself. Being so full of love, my cup runneth over. I think of this analogy often and notice the feeling when I give from fullness.

HEALING AND HEALTH

HEALING HAS ALREADY OCCURRED

Healing is related to wholeness and holiness. Identified as the ego self, I am never really healed. As the ego self, I can never be whole as I am pretending to be something other than what I am.

The ego is totally ignorant of what healing requires. Instead, from its judgments, it develops loves and aversions. Food and drink become substitutes for real love. It may crave stimulants for artificial energy. It often values appearances above reality.

It often indulges in harmful habits of living and working as coping mechanisms or defenses. Its anger, guilt and fear send damaging messages to the cells. Treatments may improve aspects of the body-mind, but their effects will be limited. Declining health is the inevitable result.

At one level, healing is the decision to identify as the Real Self. In this sense, all healing is of the mind. Once identified as the Real Self, healing has occurred. I am whole.

I need no longer indulge the ego’s tastes and preferences. Its needs and cravings, I place in perspective. I view the body as a machine that I keep in excellent working order. I am free to give it exactly what it requires.

The Holy Spirit guides me to healthful habits and treatments when appropriate. Development science suggests many of these. I give thanks for the healing that has already occurred.

Symptoms may persist a while, even though healing has occurred at one level. Symptoms may result from my former ways of thinking. Hidden negative thoughts may take years to uncover. Also, toxins, malnutrition and other imbalances require time and attention for their removal.

Symptoms may also arise temporarily as the body-mind reviews, processes and resolves old ailments and traumas. Most important is not whether I still have symptoms, but the direction my life is moving.

Exercise:

In order for healing to occur, I shift my identity to the Real Self. The love of the Creator flows through me, nourishing my soul and informing my every decision. I am no longer bound by the ego’s passions, habits and preferences.

I am now a finder not a seeker. I do not to seek for healing, as this implies I am not healed. I am grateful that healing has occurred. I accept help and support to correct leftover ego traits and in order to purify and nourish the body-mind properly.

LOVE ALONE HEALS

The ego in myself or another can be vicious and defensive. It is tempting to love the Real Self and hate the ego. If, however, I attack the ego, I offer it too much power. Attacking gives it credibility, strengthening something that is weak.

Another option is to deny the foibles of the ego. Since the ego is unreal, I may not heed its demands. However, this may not work if I wish to keep a body. If the body demands sleep, ignoring the

demand may lead to illness. If others threaten me, ignoring the threat may endanger the body.

There is another way to respond to ego demands. Instead of judging or ignoring them, I bring love to them. Avoiding judgment maintains the flow of love to me. Extending love reduces fear, the cause of many ego demands.

I bring love to all my ego traits. For my ability to judge and become afraid, I can love myself. For my capacity for self-criticism, I can love myself. For my ability to believe I have failed, I can love myself. For their ability to be so cruel, I can love others. Indeed, they play their parts well.

Bringing love to a situation does not mean indulging the ego’s wishes. I do not have to eat ice cream whenever the urge arises. I ask the Holy Spirit when ice cream is appropriate. Rarely, it may be alright. Most of the time, it is not.

Nor does bringing love to a situation mean I condone another’s behavior. I may object to what I observe. Actions have consequences and no one is exempt. For their conduct, each is still responsible.

Withholding love, however, would imply love is not appropriate here. This is never true, as love is all that exists.

In order to transcend a thing, I must first allow it and embrace it. Embracing it means bringing love to it. I accept every part of the ego self, even its fears and shortcomings. I bring love to the ego as the Creator extends love to me. I include all of myself in the

circle of my love and among those to whom I give.

Exercise:

The Creator's love I bring to all situations. Allowing, embracing and trusting, love alone heals all things. I bring love to every aspect of myself. To others’ ego traits and actions, I bring love as well. I bring the Creator’s healing love to all situations.

THERE IS NO FAILURE

Events may not work out the way the ego had hoped. It often judges this as failure. It thought it knew what was best. Its presumption, however, might have been incorrect.

Identified as the Real Self, I realize all events are neutral. There is only success because the energy of love never ceases. Forms come and go. As long as I do not identify with them, their loss I do not feel.

Failure and loss are not possible when I identify as the Real Self. If things do not work out as planned, I can celebrate. I have chosen a different outcome.

Failure is a prominent feature of most school systems. There is no failure does not mean that all achievement is the same. In school as on the job, some learn slower and are less adept. However, they are not failures. They need different methods or a new environment. Failure is a destructive idea within the schools and everywhere else.

Exercise:

I catch myself whenever I believe I or another has failed. Though I am free to perceive events any way I wish, failure is impossible. There are only neutral events. Judgment words like failure and loss are best left out of my vocabulary. All is well and there is only love.

THE ONLY REAL DEATH

What people call death is when the body no longer functions. The souls, however, don’t die. They just go free and move on to their next assignment. Death of the body is freeing to the souls. This is one rationale for capital punishment, also called the death penalty.

The only real death the soul can experience is the end of ego identification. It is the death of a false self.

Partial release of the thought that I am the ego may cause me to feel like I am dying. Although perhaps painful, release of the thought that I am the ego is a cause for celebration.

Exercise:

I understand that I can feel as though I am dying, when the ego self is dying. I allow the feeling and know it will pass. I am glad that I am becoming more identified as the Real Self.

GUILT DUE TO SEPARATION IS ALWAYS FALSE

Identified as the ego self, I believe I separated from my Creator. For this I feel condemned and guilty.

Once I know the origin of this guilt, I can see its falseness. This guilt is false because separation from the Creator is impossible. I am always one with my Creator.

In fact, the basis for this ego existence is the judgment of guilt. Identified as the ego, the sensation of guilt at its worst is that of wanting to die, as though sucked into an abyss.

The ego seeks a remedy for this horrible feeling and creates its false reality to forget its guilt. No matter how hard it tries, however, after a while the feeling often returns. Many people spend their lives running from this guilt.

The ego self looks for the cause of this guilt in the world, but it is not to be found there. Its real source is a false judgment of having separated from the Creator.

Identified as the Real Self, I realize I am innocent of separating from my Creator. Everyone else is innocent of this, as well.

Our current legal system puts a lot of emphasis upon the judgment of guilt. The older British common law legal system emphasized restitution, rather than the judgment of guilt.

Exercise:

When I feel guilty for having separated from my Creator, I remember that this guilt is always false. In truth, I am always connected to my Creator.

FEAR IS ALWAYS FALSE

The ego lives in fear, disconnected from the Creator’s love. Fear is only the absence of the Creator’s love. Darkness is the absence of light and fear is the absence of love.

Fear is closely related to guilt. Many eons ago, the soul judged itself guilty. Judgment cut off the flow of love from the Creator. The absence of this love is the feeling known as fear.

Fear led to the creation of the ego identity, a substitute for the love of the Creator. Egos invented the world as a place to search for love. The world is not love’s source, so the search is always futile.

Instead of love, the ego finds distraction and tries to forget its fear. When fear rears its head, the ego gets busy or calls a friend.

Most fill their entire lives with substitutes for the Creator’s love. This even includes relationships that appear loving. All are attempts to suppress the feeling of fear.

Some cannot so easily avoid it and fear haunts them day and night. They lack understanding of the cause of their dilemma. More aware of the human condition, they are less adept at denial. They need to know that everyone is equally afraid. Fear is the universal condition of those identified as egos. Its cause has little to do with events, though one is free to believe otherwise.

Fright, a sensation in the body, is not the same as fear. Fright is a glandular response, as when one confronts a wild animal. Fright occurs in the present and ends quickly. In contrast, fear is a chronic anxiety about an uncertain future.

When denial fails, fear can be terrifying. At these moments, the ego self is closest to the truth. The horror presents it with a choice. It can run back to its distractions, hoping they will work. Truth, however, calls out to the soul to search more deeply and recall the sequence of events:

I am innocent, connected to the source of love. From my Creator, I imagined that I separated. For this I judged myself as guilty. Judgment cut me off from the flow of the Creator’s love. This absence of love I feel as fear.

I realize the judgment is false. I am innocent and connected to my Creator. I ask for love to flow to me and I pull it into myself from above my head. As I do this, fear fades away. Feeling one with my Creator, I am filled with love. I am safe, secure and joyous.

Exercise:

When fear arises, I recall its cause. Judging the soul guilty preceded the feeling of fear. Judgment cut me off from the love of the Creator.

What I feel as fear is the lack of love. Acting from the belief that I am separate, I have forgotten who and what I am.

I affirm that I am one with the Creator. I and the Father are one. I let go of self-judgment and affirm my innocence. Separation is unreal and I am always loved. I draw the energy of love into my body with the pulling down exercise. As turning on a light dispels the darkness, allowing love to enter does away with fear.

ANGER IS FEAR THAT I PROJECT

People handle fear in many different ways. Most attempt to deny its existence by focusing on worldly interests. To avoid feeling fear, more attention than necessary is given to activities. This causes excessive intensity and even obsessive-compulsive behavior.

One's activities, prowess or relationships become closely tied to one's identity. This results in burnout and chronic unhappiness.

Others blame themselves for fear. They become angry with themselves. This results in guilt. The judgment of guilt further removes them from the love they are. Feeling less love results in more fear that further increases self-blame and guilt. This is a vicious cycle that depletes the body. Disease, apathy, and depression ensue.

Projecting the cause of fear is the most common response. Projection is a trick of the mind that makes something inside of me appear to be elsewhere. The cause of fear is perceived to be outside of myself.

The ego may believe that fear is attacking it. Judging the fear, it fights back with the emotion of anger. Anger is a glandular response. Someone or something wants to hurt me and I must respond.

In the world, anger is often justified. Some call it righteous anger. All anger, however, causes the glands to overwork. Digestion also suffers as always do I feel threatened. Suspicion replaces trust. Others feel projected upon and may respond in kind. This often poisons relationships.

I may also project the cause of my fear on to a group. Prejudice and bigotry are the result. I make many enemies as long as I project the cause of my fear.

Anger often leads to a vicious cycle. When I project the cause of my fear, it appears out there in the world. This makes the world appear more fearful. To allay the additional fear, again I project its cause outside of myself. Again it appears outside of me, creating an even more fearful world. Attacks of anxiety and paranoia are often the result. Over time, these deplete the body, leading to degenerative

diseases.

Many are caught in this vicious cycle or one of the others discussed in this book. These deplete the body’s energy and lead to disease and death of the body. This is what life is about for almost everyone on the planet. A primary goal of this teaching is to

end these vicious cycles.

Exercise:

When angry, I ask myself what do I fear? Repeating this whenever anger occurs diffuses my anger and saves the body from stress. Avoiding the feeling of fear is at the root of all my anger.

I will never justify anger. Anger just exhausts the body and leads to hatred. It is never worth the consequences.

Understanding fear and anger, I can remove their cause. The self-judgment of guilt over my perceived separation from my Creator cut off the flow of love. This is the cause of the fear that, in turn, gives rise to anger.

Separation, however, never occurred. The judgment of guilt is false. I let it go.

The habit of believing that fear is attacking me may be held deeply. Correction may not occur immediately.

Remaining compassionate with myself, I recall that fear and anger are options I need not choose. I am always loved by the Creator and this love dispels fear.

SEPARATION FROM GOD IS MY ONLY PROBLEM

Identified as the ego self, I see a multitude of problems. Some are personal, while others affect many people. Many of them seem complex, with multiple causes. Problems abound, whether it is war, pollution, or something else.

Identified as the Real Self, life is much simpler. The only real problem is separation from God. Based upon this mistake, the ego selves created a false, fear-based reality. Here all the egos compete for survival and power. As a result, many problems arise.

Identified as the Real Self, I recall that separation from God never occurred. I am always connected to the Creator through the sparks of the souls inside me. Separation is an illusion, and nothing more.

Exercise:

When I believe I have a problem, I recall that the false belief in separation is my only problem. I sit or lie down quietly and move energy downward from my head to my feet. I move it past the area just below the pituitary gland.

From this place, it is easier to hear the voice of the Creator that comes through the tiny wire that connects my main soul to the Creator.

I ask, “Father, what would you have me do?” and I wait patiently for a response. A very fast response is often not that of the Creator. His response requires several seconds to arrive. To check, I may ask the same question again. For the best communication, I must be rested, relaxed, and not hungry, thirsty or stressed.

BE VIGILANT FOR THE KINGDOM

As I identify more with the Real Self, vigilance is required. The ego self keeps arising as I move about in the world.

Vigilance is single-mindedness. A certain discipline is needed. Otherwise, the mind tends to stray, much like an untrained pet.

In some other teachings, it is said that “The warrior is impeccable”. This is identical to vigilance. It means the warrior stays focused and never strays from his path. Identifying as the Real Self requires the same attention.

Exercise:

Each day, I read this book or some other to remind me of the truth. Other ways to be vigilant for the kingdom are to make sure I am rested and nourished at all times.

Another excellent idea is to do the pushing down exercise. The discipline of a development program can also help.

I also interact, as much as possible, with others who identify as the Real Self. Most others, I let go. They may seem nice, but they pull me away from the truth.

I AM HERE TO CELEBRATE

Identified as the Real Self, there is little to do but celebrate. To celebrate is to bless this world. Love is all there is. Love is what I am. I am innocent and so is the world. I am grateful for the truth that has corrected my mind.

My work may remain the same, but my attitude has been transformed. My life becomes just a way of blessing the world. Wherever I go, there will I celebrate.

The ego believes it goes shopping for the purpose of buying groceries. The Real Self knows it goes to the market because its love is needed there. When I go to the movies, the ego believes it is to be entertained. The Real Self knows its love is needed there. If I am ill and go to the doctor, I bless the doctor and all of the staff. As the Real Self, I go to all places and interact with all people in celebration, not out of need.

Each morning when I awaken I give thanks for the opportunity to extend the Creator’s love. Life is a continuous celebration and a never-ending joy.

Exercise:

I am here to celebrate, to extend the love that I am. Wherever I am is where my love is needed. Whether in a traffic jam or in line at the store, this is where my love is needed. Alone asleep at home, my love is needed there.

Just excuses to extend love are all of my activities. They are contexts that I create in order to celebrate and bless this world.