Teachings - Competition
This is the view of the ego, “If you love me you are with me. If you love me, you support me. If you love me, you agree with me on all things. To tell me that I was wrong is unwelcome” - and, with some lesson plans, cause for the irreparable damage done to the relationship; for most selves, most individuals, are not interested in truth – they are interested in winning, they are interested in competition, they are interested in being proven as better than. How is the self that is damaged by another better than the other, you say? Well, of course, the answer is that the self would never treat another the way that the self has been treated.
I have been observing the project closely and note the cooperative spirit that has begun to grow amongst the four. It is to recognize for those who are competitive, for those who are in need of confirmation of the self’s rightness – to recognize that it is this behavior that prohibits true joining together with another in order to accomplish. It is to continue forth with the project, noting the self’s response, dedicating the self to shifting of the behaviors that cause the self to argue or to feel less than; for the goal is to create that which is of value to all. I am most pleased with the efforts of each and believe that my teachings have now been provided with the attention that was most needed so that the lessons could be understood, integrated, and then followed so that success could be tasted when lesson is presented.
To understand darkness one need turn inward, focusing upon the self, recognizing judgment, which is at the very root of not love; it is indeed judgment that prohibits the self from being open to another, that prohibits the self from sharing of the self completely. It is the lesson plan that demands judgment of all others as well as the self. The ego prefers to focus upon others; failing that, the self becomes the target. The self is measured against all others; competition employed by the ego to keep the self in competition against all that are believed to be better than the self. It is this individual that surrounds the self with those that are weaker than the self, for in this way the self can remain aloof, prohibiting entry by those who are believed to be less than the self. These individuals of course will be small in number, for the majority of those who come within the self’s sphere are judged to be superior. To truly understand darkness, one must recognize darkness within the self, be willing to speak of it with another - without excuse making, without justification, without rationalization for the self’s behaviors - confessing all that is seen by the self within the self. It is to then seek the assistance of the others, all others, to aid the self in seeing the behaviors as soon as they appear in future, so that choice may once again be made to retain the behavior or to destroy it, replacing it with the behavior that is rooted in love.
It is the darkness within that prohibits the self from changing. Darkness calls forth great emotion that results in anger or complete confusion; sorrow is often experienced by one who is unable to overcome the confusion. The student that fails to recognize the behaviors of the self that are rooted in darkness is the student that allows the lesson plan to choose for the self. Automatic response by informed behaviors is experienced by the student that remains unaware that choice is indeed available at all times; yet, the self has determined that unawareness is preferred, that protection and defense of the current self is indeed what is desired. Failure to recognize that defending and protecting the self creates negativity that is then stored within the bodies, results in the self’s inability to recognize that the self is indeed engaged; for these energies all call for continued defense, continued protection of the self.
It is my duty to draw forth that which lies within each of my students; this action is not to cause discomfort or pain for the self - it is to provide opportunity for the self to choose. It is when the self chooses - again and again and again - protection and defense that the Teacher begins to reevaluate the student-Teacher relationship, for the Teacher does not seek to impose change upon one who is unwilling to change; rather, the Teacher provides opportunity to those who have sought such.
It is the lesson plan of Rejection that withholds praise for another for fear that the other will outshine the self; it is important for all with this lesson plan to recognize that the self often is critical of another or the self works doubly, contributing doubly that which another contributes, so that the self can outshine the other. It is to recognize that the lesson plan demands this behavior, drawing forth from within the self, rejection of the self if the self does not out-perform others - it is an amplified, more refined response to the competition found within the lesson plan of Denial. To understand this lesson plan, one need only look to Te' Auna’s behavior; for many years she worked many, many, many extra hours in order to feel equal to others. It was only once she began to feel equal that she redoubled her efforts so that she could feel better than; this feeling came and left, causing the self to place more and more energy into the activity that was needed to achieve the goal. It was the rejection of the self that enabled this behavior – one where the self gave of the self completely in order to achieve the goal. Had Te' Auna rejected others rather than the self she would not have accomplished what was accomplished. The rejection of the self, however, was in the outer bodies – these energies informed others that they needed to draw forth lesson that rejected Te' Auna as well, to show her the mirror – that the self had rejected the self first and that these energies attracted others, who would in turn reject her.
To understand this lesson plan is to recognize that the self always rejects the self first; it is as with Separation – the self separates from the self - the Higher Self, first – prior to separating from another. Recognition that love of the self is impossible as long as the self is rejected is necessary for the student who walks the path to healing. “To embrace the self,” means to have no doubt that the self is capable. To love the self without condition is necessary prior to loving another without condition. Accepting the self universally can only be done once the self has embraced the self completely.
Loereve: How is Shame with others of Shame?
It is dependent upon the conclusion that has been drawn by each. If one views the other as competition then the friendship will be one that is guarded; the self will not be open with the other for it understands the penalty for doing so could be that the other has now gained possession of the self’s weakness. If it has been determined that the other is not a competitor, that in fact the other is a supporter, then it is an easy relationship for each knows the capabilities of the other. The more that the self is revealed the closer the relationship could become, for typically it is these two that have damaged others – each understands the other completely, whereas other lesson plans are unable to do so, typically. Am I understood?
For you my brother Sol An Ka, it is attention – the children require tremendous quantities of attention. You were desirous of attention as a young child and did not receive it, as you believed you should. Am I correct?
Sol: Yes
It is this that prohibits you from showering your attention upon the children, for the lesson plan of Shame does not provide that which has not been received by the self. What’s good enough for the self should be good enough for others – is this your thinking my brother?
Sol: Yes it is.
Is it possible that this thinking can be destroyed?
Sol: Yes and I request support in doing so.
It is to place the self’s determination behind the goal my brother; the self’s will need be engaged. Do you understand?
Sol: Yes I do understand – thank you.
It is knowledge that has been provided to you. It is to bring this knowledge forward, to remind the self, “I, too, would have loved to have had attention in my formative years. I felt so lonely that I had to turn to the animal to feel loved.” Do you understand?
Sol: Yes
Do you wish this upon another?
Sol: No
It is to recognize the reason for the self’s feeling, to recognize that the feeling is faulty and will damage another as the self was damaged if it is permitted to remain. You are most capable of changing this thinking now that understanding has been brought forth to you.
All judgments formulated within the mind must be spoken aloud, for it is in this way that the other is informed, that the other can battle you, that the other can set you straight. It is important for you to recognize that those things that are unspoken are just as powerful as those things that are spoken; however, you are not penalized for the silent thinking in the moment, whereas the other is.
The power that resides within each is unfathomable when the thinking is focused negatively upon another, when the self sends forth the thinking - that another is “the spawn of Satan”, that another “is an idiot”, that another “is absurd” – damage is done to the outer bodies belonging to the one that the thinking is focused upon. The good mood turns sour rapidly, the self feels weakened – there is no indication provided to the self of why the mood or the strength has been altered so rapidly; it is this that can be accountable to another’s thinking negatively about the self. It is to recognize the thoughts that are formulated, that are built within the mind, due to competition, jealousy, envy of the self for what another has garnered.
The final teaching this day shall address the student’s ability to see the self. Suffice it to say that the majority of students are unable to do so without the direct assistance of one who is pursuing the path that will return the self to its original state of divinity. It is important to understand that the majority of humanity is upon this path; the majority of humanity believes the self to be good, to be upon a worthy path – one that is more love than darkness. However, it is indeed the majority of humanity that seeks outward for answer whenever lesson is experienced; this seeking is typically performed from a negative stance. The experience provided to another is typically jaded, skewed, presenting a picture that informs the other that the self has been damaged, that the self was unworthy of such treatment, that the self is indeed victim. This is then endorsed by the other, for it is believed that to be in close relationship with another, that the other is always endorsed, the other’s side always taken, the other’s way of being always defended. This is the view of the ego, “If you love me you are with me. If you love me, you support me. If you love me, you agree with me on all things. To tell me that I was wrong is unwelcome” - and, with some lesson plans, cause for the irreparable damage done to the relationship; for most selves, most individuals, are not interested in truth – they are interested in winning, they are interested in competition, they are interested in being proven as better than.
How is the self that is damaged by another better than the other, you say? Well, of course, the answer is that the self would never treat another the way that the self has been treated. The self has determined that the self is better than others. When the self is informing another of another’s behavior, the self restates the behavior of the other, so that the self appears to be more damaged, so that the self appears to be the victim, so that the self’s culpability appears to be nominal or non-existent. This is all so that the self can appear to be better than the other. The self appears to be better than the other because the self would proclaim loudly to all that will listen that the self would never behave in such a way.
It is important for all students to recognize that to diminish another by speaking of them incorrectly, dishonestly, brings karma to the self in future – that the self will be falsely accused, that the self will be negatively spoken of, unjustly, due to the actions of the self. It is competition that drives the self to diminish another, particularly one who has threatened the self, whose halo shines more brightly than that belonging to the self. It is to speak honestly of the self. It is to speak honestly of another. It is to convey that which has been experienced honestly and if the self is unable to do so, to not speak of it at all. The garnering of karma is mandatory in these situations, for the image of another has been damaged, due to the self’s activities.
To understand karma is to understand the self – the mind, the emotions, the physical bodies are all in need of lesson; all are programmed to draw forth that which is needed to teach the consciousness…indeed, the consciousnesses, housed within. It is important to remember that there are no mistakes, that that which is experienced by the self, that that which is experienced by another was indeed planned, was indeed necessary, was indeed scheduled - if not today, next week, next month, next year, next lifetime. Those who question the experiences of the self by bemoaning the experience, by wailing, gnashing of the teeth, causing great distress for the self as well as those around the self, are those who do not understand karma, are those who do not understand their purpose for being in this dimension, are those that will fail again and again and again.