It was misidentification with the mind and body that all our troubles began. In doing so we 'fell from Grace'. We took the forbidden apple (thought) from the tree of 'knowledge' (thinking mind) throwing us into what is termed as Hell consciousness. In other words, we were taught to identify with mind rather than Spirit, (Heaven consciousness) when we were told from children to think for ourselves and to listen to others rather than our own inner voice. Therefore, this is the point of life isn't it - to make conscious the unconscious. To reveal the creation of and as life. To expand in Awareness.
Below are paragraphs written by metaphysician and medical doctor Dr Murdo Mac Donald-Bayne. I retrieved these notes while I was studying with the Metaphysical centre in Christchurch many years ago. They were big fans of Murdo and Joel Goldsmith and through them, so was I.
Woven in and among his sentences I have reiterated in brackets, my own words to make comprehension easier for the metaphysical novice.
"There are many ways to come into your true Self. No one way is the right way or the wrong way. The right way is the one that feels right for you - that speaks to you - that you resonate with. Enclosed throughout this post are videos by Sri Ramana Maharishi and Robert J Russell that, if you are ready, will lead you directly to your true Self or Truth within, if you follow them to the letter. They are by no means the only way. There are as many ways as there are people - for we all come to the truth (together as One) alone so obviously the way will be different for all to some degree. If these videos prove not to resonate, then at the very least you will gather some very insightful pearls to help you along the way. "How long has humanity been trying to put off the old man? (Ego). Has it been successful? Not at all. Churchdom has been wrong in its identification of the pseudo-ego because Churchdom is the product of the pseudo-ego, consequently its admonitions as to what to do about it are incorrect and misleading. For instance, classical theology has thoroughly indoctrinated its adherents with the belief that the way to put off the old man (ego) is to divest him of his worst qualities, his immoralities, passions and appetites.
Humanly this is commendable, but even if such a programme were carried to a successful conclusion, the old man (ego) himself would still be left: a paragon of virtue, of course; upright and passionless, but still the old man (ego), the deceiver, the wrong identity; and we would still believe ourselves to be that one! (No matter how well the mind and body perform, it is still an effect - it still, being created and not the revealer of the creator, is a dead work for it has no life of its own when it is cut off from its Source as Spirit)
Even the most perfect human attainment leaves one believing himself born of woman while....(in Truth) he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater (than this false image believing it to be the true Self).
The admonition remains to put off the old man, then put on the new. Proclaiming that allness and onlyness of the 'new' first is like attempting to put new wine into an old wineskin, or a new patch on an old garment. Until the misidentification (believing you are mind and body rather than spirit) is seen for what it is with relation to this Awareness, right here, right now our proclamation that "God is all" is so much babble.
The Light declares what is, revealing what is not. Those who have found the Light to be their identity know precisely what the 'little I' pretends to be. They have the ability to expose it honestly and effectively. Then, turning to the Light as the Light, one is never more concerned with darkness, with a false identity that only seemed. To the new identity - uncontained and unpossessed Awareness itself - the only thing that counts is the new creation. Sorrow, sighing and seeming flee away. (With Peace in the mind as the mind, it is reflected or manifested within the physical world, dissolving false images such as disease and poverty etc)."
THE SURRENDER IS NOT DIFFICULT "The tender simplicity of Reality first comes from the heart. We have identified the Heart as the 'place' of the immaculate conception where the Christ Truth is found (where Consciousness meets Awareness through & as Soul - true Self). Christ and Truth are the self-same Awareness beholding these words! Truth is the real Identity of you and me! It is apparent that these concepts are contrary to the high and mighty intellect, contrary to theology and churchdom, but not at all contrary to the wise and tender simplicity of the Heart. While the intellect vehemently opposes Truth and tends toward arrogant self-righteousness, Truth remains a very simple, gentle and unblemished Tranquillity, at peace with everything and unmindful of any supposititious opposite concerning it. (This is because the Awakened One keeps his awareness in Love aka Truth and does not give his/her power away to mental concepts = thoughts = judgements).
As we have pointed out, all one ever needs to consciously be and experience the Tranquillity of the real Identity is to let go of the personality, the pseudo-ego, the mistaken thought, and action that this consciousness, right here, is an intellect which contains Awareness, Life.
This is the classical 'sacrifice' of the entire old man (ego), not just his passions and appetites, or his worst qualities. This is the axe' laid to the root". (The root being a false identity with mind rather than Spirit).
~ Dr Murdo MacDonald-Bayne.
Note: When beginning the process of right identification with the true Self or Truth within through mindfulness & meditation or simple & instant realization through an understanding of Truth, your mind will look for something to do. ANY thing to do but be still. The idea of stillness will agitate the mind no end & this is what you must not battle because if you battle it, what happens? You as the mind - fighting the mind will be forever locked in battle. If you battle - you activate mind. You must do the reverse and 'resist not'. Do you see? The mind will find many and varied ways to stay active - to do - to move. The minute you stop resisting temptation, it ceases to become temptation. If you are having a lot of trouble with keeping the mind still, then perhaps Self-inquiry is a route worth considering. Sri Ramana Maharishi speaks of the practice here ...>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymvj01q44o0 along with Rupert Spira that further reiterates in his own words in the helping of understanding this discipline. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb3PzxwEKCQ
Should you like more insight into Dr Murdo MacDonald-Bayne and his works go here...> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FovIdPVwXos
Another alternative is Joel Goldsmith and the infinite way. I highly recommend him and am very partial to his teachings...> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-BwajAlWFo
~ Tracy Pierce
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