| The concept of taking responsibility for your life is exceedingly important, although difficult to grasp. It is easy to see that we might not understand how we could be responsible for events that are seemingly out of our control. The question of how that can be possible demands a fairly complex and detailed explanation of how life in the physical world is created on a moment to moment basis. That discussion is best saved for later, but for now, it is enough to know that there has been a convergence of both traditional and ancient mystical thinking, metaphysical thinking and science. What the ancients and, in truth, all major religions, have taught for thousands of years is now being verified by modern physics research. Namely, that the mind is the central creator of the universe. You are the center of the universe. You emerge from the 'one mind' which creates all in the physical world. You are inextricably part of the one mind. Your mind accesses all the intelligence of the one mind. For people who are not awakened, (and this term is not used as a judgment, but as a description of an expanded consciousness where your human mind - normally focused on day-to-day survival issues - begins to expand and allow access to the greater consciousness; sometimes called the 'higher self', spirit, universal mind, or God), it is very difficult to see how they create their own world. They feel the victims of events that are happening out of their control. As one begins to experience more expanded states of consciousness, the more unified consciousness, one understands that one is making choices in every moment, that one's creative self is bringing the universe into existence in every moment, and that indeed, there is no such thing as accidents. No one is really a victim of anyone or anything else. This understanding, of course, is rarely achieved overnight and, indeed, for most people the complete and full understanding of this process and concept will probably not happen in this lifetime. Indeed, a full understanding is almost beyond the grasp of the human mind. Nevertheless, the more one opens up to this idea and begins to see the truth of it, the more one's life changes for the better. Very few people can remember this truth every minute of the day every day, but with practice and commitment it does begin to form the core basis of your world view. This does not mean that you will not have moments where you feel victimized or out-of-control but they will not last as long as they used to. To achieve this expanded consciousness and understanding takes diligence. It uses a part of the human mind that we are not accustomed to using, and that is easily over-ridden by the more primitive functions of consciousness, especially in our beginning days of awakening. It is easy for those areas of the mind concerned with survival in the physical world to assert their habitual fears and beliefs and completely displace the higher consciousness. This is a natural occurrence and as one deals with one's beliefs and fears it will occur less and less, but it can take a while to again remember the truth when it has been displaced. This is why it is so important to surround oneself with reminders of the truth and to institute daily practices to help remind oneself. Even these will not always be enough, for as one starts the journey to awakening, one is obligated to deal with many past fears leading to periods of despair and hopelessness. At these points one must surrender and know that god or whatever you choose to call the life spirit is all there is. There is nothing else. And that one can surrender one's will to this spirit and recover from the despair and hopelessness. It is then that one can start to create the world in a way they want in earnest, as their ability to remember the truth is greatly enhanced. And so the concept of taking responsibility for one's life really means making choices in every moment to take the higher path, that is, to take a path that remembers the truth, that enhances one's well-being and brings light and love into any situation. For in every situation we have choices. When we take control of our thoughts and know that we can choose in every moment, we have made a great step. |
