Teachings - Deprivation
The student seeks to please the Teacher and will do all that which has been requested; yet, deep within, the self does not understand why the self has been asked to do so. It is so that the student can understand the self’s desires, so that the student can begin to observe that there is desire – what does the desire feel like? And when I repress the desire, where does it go? How does that feel? To feel is the goal. The Teacher begins by depriving the student, for deprivation causes the self to begin to focus upon the self; often the student is already focused completely upon the self but there are those rare situations when the student is focused externally, [who] willingly gives up whatever is asked by the Teacher to be withheld. It is this student that is most difficult to teach, for this student has forgotten how to feel; rather, they are more focused upon others – what another feels.
The teaching this day of primary interest to myself is that which concerns Te' Auna, that which brings forth the lesson of lack – the inability to overcome the experiences of many, many lifetimes wherein the self determined that the self did not have what the self needed in order to survive, in order to be successful. It is important for all who encounter this lesson to understand that the Teacher guides the fruits that are made available to the self; it is to earn the fruits that is necessary. It is to understand that those fruits that are withheld are being withheld for great purpose – to teach, never to punish, unless of course the self has been responsible for withholding fruits from one who deserved such in previous or in the current lifetime; it is karma that is visited upon the self that has damaged the bounty deserved by another. This is most often exhibited through greed, wherein the individual determines that the self’s bounty is insufficient and another’s bounty is earmarked for the self. It is important to recognize that all – all consciousnesses - experience deprivation; all consciousnesses judge this experience as lack. The purpose of the lesson is to teach.
It is for all students to recognize the behaviors that lie within that indicate that the self does indeed perceive lack for the self: the eyes that rest upon the possessions of another, judging the holder, stating, “I would never spend that much money on that item” – as if the other should have made similar choice; stating the other “has far more than they need”; stating, “I wish I had just half of what they have, questioning even within the mind, “why would they not share their bounty with me?” For the self who is unwilling to pay the price sought for goods, always searching for the lowest possible price to be paid for goods that will be expected to be of good quality; and the individual who fails to see those who are in need, those who could be assisted without interfering with their lesson plan.
It is important for all students to recognize that to give to another is not always the answer – it, in fact, often is more damaging than helpful. To recognize that the self is either stingy or generous is important; to modify generosity is equally important to elimination of stinginess, for all consciousnesses here upon the planet have come to learn how to conduct the self in an environment where money is the central focus. Learning to conduct the self with honor, learning to provide only that which is necessary to aid another forward upon their path. This could be one dollar – it could be fifty thousand dollars; it is to provide assistance with right purpose.
Could you answer the query my sister (student)?
Student: All beings must experience all things – severe deprivation is one of all things just like complete abundance.
Indeed. Have you experienced abundance my sister?
Student: I believe so and I haven’t appreciated it.
Do you understand the lessons that lie ahead?
Student: I do…I believe I do. Perhaps you could guide me, prepare me, help me.
Recognition of the stories that the self has put forth is necessary my sister – that the self was deprived, that the self had little, when the self actually was enjoying abundance. It was the lesson plan that prohibited you from recognizing that which was being experienced, for the ego was ravenous, desirous of more. In order to motivate you, to push you to gain more, the self was made to believe that the self had little. Do you understand?
Student: I do, thank you.
It is to recognize the voice from within my sister and to become the voice that retrains all that which lies within. Do you understand?
Student: I’m not sure I do. Would you elaborate for me?
Indeed. The voice that tells you ‘you are struggling’, that ‘you do not have enough’ – it is the outer voice that need say, “Look at the bounty before me.” There are many upon this planet that not only do not have access to this bounty but if they did they could not purchase that which you yourself have before you. It is to state to the self frequently, “I have all that I need and more. There are many around me that have much less than I; I am fortunate indeed. It is when the heart begins to believe, it is when the mind begins to believe – it is when the heart and the mind connect that the self can state without hesitation, “I have everything that I need and more.” It is to state your gratitude daily my sister, each time you receive the food into the body; it is to bless it, to make it sacred and to give thanks, to be grateful, to express this gratitude with the energies of the heart, for it is this that will awaken within the self true gratitude for all that the self has. This alone silences the voice of the composite selves that state, “We do not have enough. We shall never have enough. It is others that have our bounty.” Do you understand?
Student: I do, thank you. I will attend to this assignment. Thank you.
It is for all to understand that happiness is simply an attitude - it is a way of thinking, it is a way of being. It is indeed the composite selves that convince the self that the self does not have what the self needs. It is the will of the self, the voice of the self that retrains all that which lies within.
It is not possible to be love for another if the self feels that the self is not loved - if the self feels shortshrifted, if the self feels less-than, if the self feels that others receive that which the self desires most. It is to recognize that the self receives all that is needed – no more and no less is afforded to the student, for the Teacher understands exactly what is needed by the student to insure that the student will learn. Deprivation is often the tactic employed by the Teacher – to purposefully deprive the student of that which is most desired, whether it is love, support, confirmation, information – the Teacher determines that which the student is focused upon as the self’s desire and purposefully withholds this – to teach. The Teacher withholds that which is most desired by the student in order to teach the student that others are desirous of the same from the self. It is for the student to recognize, to realize the value of that which is being withheld from the self, so that when others are seeking it from the self, the self recognizes true need, readily recognizing that which is ego desire, choosing not to provide that which is sought whenever ego is the source.