Teachings - Gratitude
It is to honor the body - it is to thank it, to be grateful for all that the body has done for you - to love it completely, whether it is believed to be beautiful or plain, fat or thin, short or tall. It is for the self to embrace the self, to accept the self completely - large breasts or small breasts, large thighs or small thighs, large feet or small feet - to recognize that the self has been provided with the body most needed so that the self may learn. It is to be grateful for all that which has been provided to the self by the body; to be vigilant to its needs for rest, hydration, food, exercise, nurture, comfort - to aid its functioning is appropriate.
To recognize that the body is perfect and will continue to respond with difficulties, as long as these difficulties indicate lesson; it is to unravel the clues that are being provided to the self when the body is uncomfortable, determining the location and the significance to the self – “What does this mean?” - to provide the self with understanding of that which is being experienced.
It is the Teacher’s duty to guide the student as long as the student presents the self for lesson. It is for the student to honor, to respect the teacher; to honor and respect all those participating in the self’s healing. Failure to provide honor and respect drains all, leaching off vital energies that could be utilized to endorse all students, for the teacher must be love in the face of negativity; the ego that determines to challenge the teacher is well-placed, as the teacher must be tested many, many times. Can the teacher rise above the negativity being propelled towards the self or does the teacher succumb?
Recognizing the damage that the self’s ungrateful attitude causes to others is critical for one who seeks to eliminate future karmic callings. Recognition that the self is ungrateful, that the self treats the teacher abominably, indicates that the teacher is trying to draw to the self’s attention that the self treats others abominably as well, that gratitude is lacking, that damage is indeed being incurred upon others.
The Teacher has sought the elimination of the creation of future karmic callings, yet the student continues to create such - failing to recognize the bite that is provided to all those surrounding the self who seek to aid, failing to recognize the viciousness of the attack, of words that are unleashed upon another who merely seeks to aid. Failure to see the rabid nature of the self’s own ego, the viciousness of the response provided to one who has tentatively approached the self, due to the self’s own invitation, to aid. It is these individuals that will stop approaching the self once it is recognized that the self has changed the self’s mind and is no longer seeking assistance but has returned to the desire to be left alone, has returned to the previous behaviors, indicating that there is no invitation extended to others who think or feel differently from the self.
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.
When the self provides service to another, is the self uncomfortable with “thank you’s”, with gratitude? If another fails to thank you, what is felt? If one fails to be effusive enough, if one fails to thank you many times, what is the response of the unhealed portion of the self? Do you believe that you have been effusive enough with our brother (Loereve) to have satisfied the unhealed portion of your self, had you done the same for another?
Student: I’ve said thank you a lot. I’ve meant it.
It is not the question, my sister.
Student: Do I feel I’ve thanked him enough?
Have you been effusive enough, enthusiastic? Would it have satisfied the unhealed portion of the self had the self done similar action for another? Would your thank you have fed you – sufficiently?
Student: I don’t know.
Go one more step, my sister.
Student: Maybe not. Maybe I’m just that empty, just that voraciously hungry.
It is to understand the self – that which the self demands versus that which the self provides and feels is adequate - more than adequate in fact - but if the self were to assess the quality of what one has provided to another, the self would readily determine it to be inadequate for the self. Do you understand?
Student: I do. I have a warped perspective, you’re saying.
It is imbalanced my sister, for that which the self provides to another is always adequate in the self’s assessment. That which is provided to the self is always inadequate in the self’s assessment. Do you understand?
Student: Yes.
It is this view that I seek inquiry, review. Do you understand what I’m asking?
Student: You’re asking me to consider that I don’t exhibit gratitude equal to what I expect from others.
You are correct.
Student: I will do that.
When you receive a thank you from another - do you feel filled; are you filled by the thank you or would you like to be thanked more than once, potentially more than twice and potentially in a particular way? Do you understand? It is to examine these requirements.
Student: I will do that.
It is the Nurturer that is beloved by most, for this individual has well-concealed the motive for doing good; the reason of course is what can be anticipated in response to that which has been offered to another. Effusive appreciation and gratitude is needed in order for this individual to feel appreciated. If this is not received, bitterness is typically experienced, for the self feels used, abused, taken for granted. They have failed to recognize that others have performed acts of kindness, acts of service for the self and the self has failed to be appreciative, to show gratitude equal to that which is most desired by the self. The disingenuous nature of the Nurturer can be detected by the student of the self by surveying the other when they are not thanked appropriately, when they complain about that which has been offered freely and from the heart but appreciation has not been showered upon the self appropriately, adequately, to encourage the self to continue forth with the service. Are there questions?
The relationship of the Teacher and the student is comprised of time passage that is not fathomable to the human; the Teacher is fully cognizant of the weaknesses and the strengths of the student – far more cognizant than the student is of the self, for the student has been tricked by the ego, by the lesson plan, by those surrounding the self, that tell the self that the self is indeed acceptable, the self is indeed love, the self is indeed light, the self is indeed a good person and need not pursue change. The Teacher understands that many layers must be uncovered prior to the student awakening to the love that the Teacher has shown the self, bringing the self to the moment where recognition is achieved, where Teacher and student stand consciousness to consciousness welcoming each other once again with recognition; this moment is desired equally by Teacher and student.