If you want to become more conscious, you’re becoming more conscious of the whole thing—your heaven and your hell.
– Adyashanti, The Way of Liberating Insight
If we engage in a process of bringing more of who and what we are into consciousness, it may at first seem that we have a choice of what we bring into consciousness. And, at some point, the rest tends to follow, whether we want or not. It’s all tied together.
For instance, we may engage in meditation to find more tranquility, equanimity, and stability in our life. For a while, that may be the effect. And then, at some point, other things that were excluded from our conscious awareness wants to join in, and this may not be just pleasant. We may think we invite in our heaven, and then our hell follows.
This is not bad or wrong. We have just supported a natural healing process. And when we do, eventually all of who and what we are wants to join.
This happens in any deeper healing process.
AWAKENING PROCESS
And it also happens in a real awakening process, and sometimes even more quickly and thoroughly.
The more we notice our nature and rest in that noticing, the more all of what we are tends to come to the surface. It all wants to join in with the noticing, and realign and find healing within the noticing.
And that includes our heaven and hell. It includes bliss and joy as well as buried trauma, wounds, fear, and terror.
If the latter comes up in one package, it can last for months or years and be experienced as a very difficult dark night. (In my case, it has lasted roughly a decade and it’s still ongoing although currently in a gentler form.)
It’s not always a pleasant process, but it is a process of allowing it all to be seen, felt, and realign within the noticing of what we are.
BUYER BEWARE
Ultimatly, we as an imagined separate individual don’t have much choice or say in the process. Not in the apparent start of it and not in how it all unfolds.
And yet, it is good to let people know what they may be getting into if they start any form of healing or awakening practice. It’s good to screen people for trauma and give these additional support. And it’s good to present a map of possibilities so people can be moderately prepared and know who to turn to for assistance if or when challenging material surfaces.
Ultimately, this is all part of an overall healing and awakening process. Nothing has gone wrong. It’s not bad. But for some, it can feel quite overwhelming, disorienting, and scary. And it’s good to have the support from someone who has gone through it themselves and can guide with some kindness, wisdom, and maturity.
DRAFT
Yes, the more we notice what we are and rest in that noticing, the more all of what we are tends to come to the surface. It all wants to join in with the noticing, and realign and find healing within the noticing.
And that includes our heaven and hell. It includes bliss and joy as well as buried trauma, wounds, fear, and terror.
It’s not always a pleasant process, but it is a process of allowing it all to be seen, felt, and realign within the noticing of what we are.
…..
Yes, when we bring more of who and what we are into consciousness, all of it wants to be brought into consciousness. It’s all tied together. At first, it may seem that we have a choice of what we bring into consciousness, and then the rest follows whether we want or not.
This is especially true the more we are committed to and involved in the process.