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John

WHISPERS FROM WITHIN
March 2002

Consciousness

          The last two to three years in particular of Joel's writings make it clear to us that the whole of spiritual truth, the spiritual path, or the spiritual life is about consciousness. We can easily return to Joel's very first writings and substitute human consciousness for all that's mentioned as un-Godlike and Spiritual Consciousness for the Godly. In doing this, it becomes evident that all during the work, the Spirit in Joel was instructing us by using the terminology we could accept at the moment, yet never producing any real contradictions. I mention real paradoxes as distinguished from perceived ones for we  certainly do encounter many seeming ones as we struggle along with only our un-illumined minds as interpreters. So this work is all about individual you and me undergoing a change of consciousness.

           When we're born into the world, and for quite a long time afterwards, we are only aware of forms since our perceptions of the world around us come through our limited physical senses. This represents that state of life wherein we're functioning totally in human consciousness. We are aware of ourselves as separate entities that must struggle with all the other ones for whatever comes to us. The very fact that there is more to us than we know is what ultimately saves us from annihilating one another. The inner reality of oneness of divine Consciousness mysteriously intercedes in our human affairs by pushing ITS loving impulse into conscious awareness to prevent mankind from totally destroying itself. Who is there among us that can testify otherwise than that in human consciousness we seem to be faced with an unending array of problems? These come in all shapes and sizes, from issues of health and wealth to those of relationships and employment. When we've managed to settle one difficulty another develops and we're off again to find our peace. It would be all right, I suppose, if the young were able to look to the elderly to see there was some relief from human difficulties in the later years of life. But the elderly aren't free of problems either if they go into this stage of their life with their consciousness unchanged.

        Consciousness is what the I of me is. Consciousness is what I am. But there are different states and stages of consciousness. Principally there are two states, the human and the spiritual. In reality though there's only one, Spiritual. The other state is a manufactured one; a state developed from, by, and through the physical senses. In other words, our first contact with the world is through these physical senses. They define the world to us at a stage when were unable to consciously refute it with the truth. So we come ultimately to be convinced that we are our physical body. That's all there is to us. We're human beings separate and apart from one another. By the time we start recognizing ourselves as I, we're well nigh convinced that when we say or identify ourselves as I were talking about our physical self that we see reflected in the mirror.

         It isn't as though we have a choice in the matter initially. We don't. We are the victims of the hypnotic influence of the senses coupled with all the accepted beliefs resident in the universal human consciousness of mankind. Into this we're born and are all subject unto the hypnotism in varying degrees. The majority of mankind endures countless incarnations experiencing only the 50/50 life lived under the yoke of hypnotism. That is, life is experienced as 50% good and 50% not so good. People tend to naturally feel something is wrong with this type of life, that's the reason for the rush to latch onto first one remedy, pill, exercise, fad, or way of thinking then another. The Spirit of man, being over-laden by an imposed accepted false identity, causes him to seek ways to free IT up somewhat. This is the real nature of man, his/her real state of consciousness trying to break through that human blockade into conscious awareness.

          Consciousness is that part of us that knows. And what do I know? Do I know only about this physical universe? Well, if I do then I also know myself to be part of it, and if that's so I'm fated to experience the same things that all physical things do. The paramount concern among physical (human) beings is mortality (death). This is the overriding concern of all that are conscious only of a material state of existence.

          However, we aren't eternal prisoners of such a limited view of life. We are capable of unearthing another higher degree of wisdom that's presently unavailable to our awareness. If this indeed is possible, then it is also possible to resurrect our selves into another state of life. It's all a matter of consciousness. Can we become aware of some facet other than the material? More than this, can we have this become the overriding awareness of our conscious life?  For it is in this way - keeping our mind stayed on this new realm of wisdom that we will come to accept it just as we came to accept the erroneous beliefs about who or what we are. A state of consciousness must be developed which will constantly keep the truth active in us throughout every waking moment.

          Consciousness manifests from the place that it rests. When you consider that we are Consciousness, but each one of us is at a certain stage or resting place along the journey to full development, it can easily be seen then that where ever we (as Consciousness) happen to find our selves (at some resting place, if you will) whether in the depths of human-hood, the heights of Christhood, or some point in between, our external life will be an exact reflection or manifestation of where we are.

          We cannot be aware of something that isn't already a part of our own consciousness. This is really the old statement of it's in the eye of the beholder. In order to be able to identify a particular situation or condition it must already be a part of our conscious awareness, otherwise how could we become aware of it?  For example, though each of us in reality is Spiritual Being, we, as yet, can't recognize it because we haven't had an inner experience of this fact. It hasn't become bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. That is, we don't have the consciousness of it. But once we do, we can then become aware it all around us in spite of the fact it is totally invisible to physical eyesight. Such is the nature and wonder of Consciousness, of your consciousness and mine.

          Even knowing this, it really isn't possible to describe how such a change is to take place. It's the work of our CONSCIOUSNESS, which is infinite, therefore, it transcends any mental or intellectual ability to explain it. Yet, by ITS fruit shall ye know IT.

          Strangely, all we can do regarding Consciousness is talk or write about IT. Infinite in nature, no finite instrument like our human mind can harness IT; through our mind though IT can become evident in the affairs of mankind. We would do well then to content our selves with allowing our inner Consciousness to open ITSELF in ITS fullness in us, while we stand off to one side watching what this miracle does in our experience. This will demand the ultimate in patience from us for we are so accustomed to being ushered off in a fit of anticipation of getting or acquiring or achieving something.  However, here we must LET the Christ (indwelling Consciousness) come into the full stature of manhood while we sit patiently watching. We must do this to fully learn that truly of own human selves we can do nothing. It's this inner SPIRIT (Consciousness) that doeth the work of living as you and me.