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#2380- Tuesday, January 31, 2006 - Editor: Jerry Katz
Leo Hartong responds to two questions. This material is taken from the Awakening to the Dream newsletter, published by Leo: http://www.awakeningtothedream.com/newsletter/. Leo's books are recommended: http://www.awakeningtothedream.com/
Question: I have major issues with world
hunger, mistreatment of people, child abuse, etc. Yet I've been
in the presence of people who proclaim it's all an illusion.
If it is an illusion, does that mean that those people are not
being harmed, are not hungry or hurting? I tend to take action
where I can to make their lives better (even in typing that I
realize it sounds like I'm making myself God) and yet I've long
believed that "God" does not directly do everything,
but gives people the opportunity to rise in His stead and make
the world a safer more loving place. And I don't see that
changing anytime soon. Rather I find those people who don't get
involved as pious and heartless in their safe little minds and do
not understand how they can use ACIM etc., as their platform.
Can you address the dichotomy of these two views?
Answer: The two views are not necessarily
mutually exclusive, nor does asserting that the world of
appearances is an illusion deny the presence of suffering; on the
contrary, the belief in its reality is often cited as a major
contributor to the appearance of suffering.
There are endless occurrences, including, dancing, thinking,
feeling and suffering. There is going to the dentist, doing the
shopping, reading books and having opinions. Non-duality has very
little to say about all this various happenings, but invites the
apparent person to investigate to who or what all this appears.
Non-duality draws attention to the page under the words, to the
screen behind the movie and to the Consciousness in which all
dancing and suffering appears. It does not argue with any opinion
or belief one holds, but investigates the 'I' that is assumed to
hold those beliefs and opinions.
When this is looked into, the peace beyond the agitation and the
clarity beyond belief may be re-cognized as the true nature of
each and all, even of those that seem to suffer a great deal.
This insight does not interfere with natural arising compassion,
nor does it solve the perceived problems of the world. It may,
however, put it all in its proper perspective. And, even though
this perceptiveness is not a 'doing' in the usual sense of the
word, it may somehow turn out to be the kindest thing One can
'do' for this good old world of ours.
Question: Hi, I hope you can clarify some
thoughts of mine.
Since I (as an individual) do not really exist, how do I go about
living in an environment of people who actually don't exist? For
what purpose would it serve other than Pure Awareness
experiencing its earthly dream of "being" different
characters?
If everything around this "me" is the experiences of
Pure Awareness, then anything "I" do really doesn't
matter, right? If this is so, how do "I" as a conscious
being, existing in a dream go about living this dream life with
any joy?
I believe what you have said in your book is true. I just don't
know how to go forward now that I realize I don't exist....... do
I just suck it up, the good along with the bad and accept that my
participation is inconsequential?
Answer: Please do not simply believe what I have
said in the book, but verify it. Also remember that the words are
only pointers to something beyond the reach of words; just like
the lake is beyond the signpost that points to it. Obviously,
when you want to go for a swim, merely believing, instead of
following the direction indicated by the signpost, will not
result in a refreshing dip in the water.
If it is actually clear that there is no individual, then who is
there to believe what was written? Who needs to go forward, and
who needs to participate?
The 'message' in these words may appear bleak from the 'I'
perspective. It seems to suggest meaninglessness and
helplessness, but this is not to where the signpost points.
When it is seen that all activity is of the One, then it is also
seen that this has always been the case. We may say things like
"I think." or "I breathe." but on
investigation it is clear that every thought, every breath, every
act, has never been done by a separate you and yet, here you are.
Even the idea of a separate 'you' is 'done' by the One; just like
a wave is 'done' by the ocean.
To the apparent character this may seem like losing the
initiative, but in reality it never was the possessor of the
initiative. You are not simply a limited character, but THAT to
-and in which- the idea of such a character appears.
Seeing this is again not done by a 'you' but it is the One
Seeing. For the 'person' this adds up to helplessness, and it is
the end of who or what we think we are. However, since we are not
what we think we are, it is only the end of an illusion. The
separate person was never real in the first place, so it is the
end of a non existing entity. It all adds up to zero.
When there is a falling back into the Source, it turns out to be
liberation rather then obliteration; liberation from doership and
authority, from blame and fame. Instantly life is known to be
effortlessly living AS you, and no longer as being lived BY you.
Presently, the thoughts appear and disappear, there is breathing
in and out, the heart beats and the metabolism does its job. All
this is directly seen without a 'someone' making an effort. There
is no 'you' who is doing any of this and there never was, yet
everything is going on by and of itself.
Participating, as you call it, may or may not happen, but only as
a play in Consciousness, as there is no real separation that
allows for an independent participator or doer. Perhaps there
will be a walk in the woods, a cup of tea, reading the newspaper,
a dark mood, a smile, or doing the shopping; again, all happening
AS you, rather then by or to you.
In and through all this spontaneous activity there might be the
same surprised wonder as expressed by the Zen monk who, on
finding out that there is no personal doer, wrote:
"Miraculous power and marvelous activity! Drawing water and
hewing wood."