In what way is something that happens not wrong?
I can find a silver lining. I may see a lot of it as wrong, but something good is there too. This works within my familiar world view and I don’t have to question underlying assumptions.
All is God (reality, Buddha Mind, awareness). It’s OK however it shows up.
And I can question and examine my underlying and basic assumptions, and find what’s more true and real. This is an invitation for the fabric of my familiar world view to unravel, and this can be helpful independent of the two previous ones.
Here is an example:
I have chronic fatigue.
The silver lining is that I learn a lot from it, I have time to explore and rest, I am given a break from certain responsibilities, I have learned to rest and receive, I am more open and vulnerable with friends about what’s going on for me.
The cf and anything else – including my thoughts and emotions about it – is God. It’s no-thing appearing as this right now. It’s reality expressing, exploring and experiencing itself.
Then there is the juicy explorations of my most cherished and basic assumptions related to cf.
I have cf. Is it true? Hm. All I find here now are sensations and labels, and the labels are merely innocent questions. I cannot find cf outside of the label.
I should be healthy. Do I know it’s true? No. There are many reasons why this happened, and I am familiar with some of them. It’s life unfolding in this way.
It’s better to be healthy. Again, I cannot know that’s true. I can find many reasons why it’s better for me to not be healthy right now. I learn from it. I get to notice and inquire into beliefs triggered by it. I get to wear off identification with a range of identities. I get to be more open and myself with friends.
It’s possible to not be healthy. I don’t know. What I do find is that what I am – this field of awareness/experience – is whole as is, it’s complete as is. It cannot not be complete. It’s complete independent of content of experience and labels. In that sense, it’s impossible for me to not be healthy.
Something went wrong. Here too, I don’t know. I cannot know. I may have stories about it, but reality is different. My stories don’t touch reality.
It’s possible for something to be wrong. Is it true?
Something terrible will happen. Is it true?
Something terrible can happen. Is that true?
Note: Questioning underlying assumptions is helpful independent of anything else, including whether there is an “awakening” here. I often find that regular folks who have done The Work for a while seem quite insightful and free, and some of those where reality have awakened to itself may still act, speak and live from unquestioned assumptions, as we all do of course.
Note 2: These underlying and basic assumptions are often assumptions at an emotional level, so it’s helpful if the inquiry happens at that level too – by connecting with the emotions, staying with it, asking very simple questions and feeling into it and noticing what’s happening at an emotional and/or energetic or bodily level. Thoughts initiate the process but the meat of it happens at the emotional, energetic and bodily levels.
Note 3: To find underlying assumptions, I can start with my surface beliefs and ask myself questions such as: What’s the reasons that it’s not OK? What’s my proof? If it’s the case, then what does it mean? What am I afraid will happen because of it? What would I get if it was the way I want it to be?
Note 4: I talked with a friend of mine earlier today who has benefited greatly from the Lightning Process for cf. It seems to be a very useful tool that helps many, perhaps especially if combined with a questioning of basic assumptions – if there is a natural interest in it.
……………
……………
……………
- flavors of not wrong
- silver lining
- all god
- question/examine underlying, basic assumptions, find what’s more true/real
- …..