Ascended Masters: What is Ascension? And who cares anyway!
I've been thinking about that ---- that's always a mistake -- thinking -- but this is what came to me; Could it be that the 1st law of Ascension is; "When Nothing Works - Do Nothing!"
There! You see! For a moment I didn't think --- and there he was! --- just popped into my head.
If you're thinking what I'm thinking, it's 'Haven't we seen this fellow somewhere before? And not all that long ago either. Let me guess! That Swami's your idea of an ascended master, is he? He's certainly a bit ungrounded - somewhat up in the air - Celestial, even, but hardly one's idea of the Great Spiritual Teacher. Shouldn't the sudden appearance of an Ascended Master fill us with awe, or at least something close to awe; deep reverence, knee-trembling respect, stupefaction - - - ?'
Well, maybe; but maybe this is why we find the whole Master concept so difficult, and the question of Ascension so unapproachable. We tend to be very hung up with old ideas of arduousness and suffering when we consider what the personal spiritual journey entails. Asceticism, celibacy, denial or repression of our sexuality - and look where that's got the Catholic Church. Denial of pleasure, abstention from food and water, music, colour, imagery - and look where that's got Islam, (and judging by an item in the BBC news this morning on the draconian blasphemy laws in Pakistan, I'd be stoned to death before being executed for saying anything critical about Islam.)
But that aside, I wont go on; this is old ground, and you've probably got the picture already. But just to turn my statement on its head, I'm about to do just that -- go over ground I've covered already --- and the reason for that is to pick up on the Part Two section of a previous post.
I originally posted Part Two in my April 2012 post under Part One of 'AN EVERYDAY MIRACLE'. I did that so that anyone who wanted to read it in its chronological wholeness could do so there. But that was then, and since then, there have been further developments. In 'Life As We Know It,' nothing stands still; events happen; consequences, sequels, appendices are added, only to be followed by further happenings, aftermaths, outcomes and events. And as in 'real' life, so in dreams.
Except that in dreams, past/present/future linearity is suspended. Is this a contradiction - a paradox, or what?
"Fear not," said the angel.
Hello Angel, there you are! Nice to see you again, but who said I was bothered by all that? I take it in my stride. OK? I'm not afraid.
"OK, but people have come to expect the 'Fear not.' It's my signature, my greeting. Been saying it down the ages and folk seem to find it reassuring when I suddenly pop up out of the blue and startle them. By the way, in case of confusion, my appearance is altogether distinct from that lower-class Swami fellow who dropped in/popped up - a few moments ago. We patronise a very different cut of costumier, you know."
I think I'd noticed that, but if we could change the subject, bring it back to me, you see, I'm trying to do something serious here. I want to introduce a sequel dream, and link it with this earlier post of April 2012. Maybe you'd like to chip in - help me out. It doesn't have to be too serious. By the way, don't you think 2012 has been an astonishing year - weatherise? Disturbing, to say the least, alarming even. Torrential rain as it would never stop, month after month all through the so-called summer, and then, as if by magic, out came the sun for the whole period of the Olympics! Astonishing and Golden. Opening Ceremony astonishing; medalists astounding; Team Britannica coming third! Never was there seen anything like it. And back in April none of these signs and wonders had happened. Don't suppose you had a hand in any of this, did you? But I digress....
"Fear not," said the Angel again, comfortingly. This particular angel being that part of myself we variously call, our Higher Self or our Divine Self, Soul Self, Angelic Self. "Why don't you tell us all about that dream, then?" he went on. "I'm sure your readers are getting impatient for you to begin -- as am I."
OK. But first I must remind myself - and not only myself, but anyone who didn't read the April post in its fullness, right to the end - of what transpired in the initial dream where I saw, what I have called My New Self - and at the cost of sounding repetitive --- I'll now repeat myself.
(I wrote this down in my journal at periods in the middle of the two or three nights following the dream where I saw the complete stranger, my New Self.
If you feel like skipping this repeated passage, perhaps because you've read it before, then go straight to the dream in green, below.)
You dream once again of the New person, a not-yourself woman, (an Esme not as you've know her and identified with all your life,) and waking, you find your body reacting by seizing up. I have told you many time before that this painful and extremely uncomfortable sensation is a reaction to fear, and we have been trying out a few exercises to help you develop your own understanding of the phenomena you are meeting. A simple exercise -- we gave you an example of two people, let's call them ... it doesn't matter, it could be X and Y or whatever you choose.
X is the Old you, the familiar, everyday you. She has your identity, (which, by the way, is just another illusion,) she has your memories, all your past in this life, the family, friends, events and incidents - everything that shaped your present life. X is constantly remembering details from the past, comparing and contrasting herself with others, "This is what happened to me; I made such mistakes; if I do this I'll miss out on that; if I don't do that I'll be sorry because look what happened last time; he is much better than me at blah blah... ; she has the advantage of a better whatever... better luck, better body, more attractiveness, greater talent... " on and on it goes. I'm not saying this picture is exactly you, you've more sense, more balance than that, haven't you! but just giving an illustration. X, the old you, lives in the present but is fearful of the future because of her experience of the past. You see the linearity of that? Yes, living this way we do create our reality, but we have created it out of our past experience and it is biased towards victimisation and lack - insufficiency of some kind, be it self-worth or health or wealth.
Let's carry on with this exercise and look now at Y.
Y is the same person but she looks at the past that she created and takes responsibility for it. She knows she gave her permission at some level for all that she experienced as she travelled her pathway. And what a lot of experience she did gain! Now she has arrived at that place where she looks in the mirror and sees herself, values herself, loves herself, and feels much better about herself all round. Her future is now filled with promise; new potentials are there on the table ready to be picked up. She lives in the Now, but it is a Now filled with compassion, love, understanding and self-awareness.
Think of it this way: This New Person lives now in the centre of a circle, no longer in the old linear manner with the Past behind, the Future ahead, and the Present You restricted by that continuum. Instead, by being in the Now, you're in the centre of a circle where you move on and up from level to level as your consciousness expands, and it's like being in a living, spinning spiral - a circle which is a spiral - hard to describe - but because everything around you moves at the same time and at the same rate, so you don't notice yourself changing. You feel the same Self to yourself, but we see you as we've always seen you, from outside the illusion of linearity. With delight we see you 'becoming' - not the right word, but for now....taking up more and more of your real self - expanding into your Divine Self.
Out of this realisation a new Creativity flows in, and it is an energy which is changing the planet - for you can't separate your human self from your planet. As your consciousness shifts and expands, so does the Earth's. Even though the Earth shakes, as it does - I'm sure you've all noticed - at the moment, weatherise -- extremes of heat or cold, rain or drought, fire and flood -- these are but her rebirthing contractions that you feel. But now you feel safe within your own knowing that You are the Creator. You have moved from Victim to Creator.
You stand upright in this New situation about to step forward - you take a step into unknown territory. You are about to encounter something you've never seen before, The Great Unknown - full of promise - a wonderful revelation. But there is no map drawn out for this new territory which opens up at your feet as you go forward into it. This shows what a powerful person you are. You forge ahead, and it comes to you that you have just given birth to something - but at this moment you can't see what it is you've given birth to. And suddenly all your fears come flooding back - all the dangers, the traps, the sharp snags that you imaging you might encounter. Your fear of making mistakes. You are not done with the Old You yet. But this is as it should be. These are unknown waters, and the unknown is your creative territory - your playground. Step into it - dive in - and discover the wealth of resources awaiting you, Shaman, Alchemist, Artist. There is more and more to come....."
DREAM.
I am in a large, light room. Big windows. A lot of space. I'm sitting at a desk or table in the centre of the room and there are other people around me at desks of their own. It feels like a place where a lot of creative activity goes on, but I seem to be using a larger than usual, big-screen computer and am intent on some important, but difficult work. It's in unfamiliar code - rather over-my-head technically, and it's making me a bit tense. I feel concerned that if I make a mistake, do something wrong by accident, I'll lose some extremely important work.
I have to make a decision: there's no-one to ask 'Shall I or shan't?' so I must take a huge risk and act. I press 'Enter' --- and the whole *****!!! thing disappears! Not just the work. The ****!!!*** computer disappears!!!! Blank space where it sat. I'm horrified! Lost! What am I going to do? I look frantically around the room, but it's no-where to be seen. I look under the table - get down on my hands and knees --- Nothing! I try to calm myself. I realise that panic will get me nowhere, but this is something inexplicable and I know I can't retrieve the situation myself.
At that moment an old friend (who actually died many years ago) comes into the room, and we greet one another. He, I realise, will have the answer. But he walks past me casually, telling me he's busy with something else. He goes off into a side room with a client, turning to smile and wave at me as he goes. I'm getting the feeling now that I have to take charge of myself, my panicky emotions, and be aware of what my internal energy is doing. I also know that this male figure represents my Male Self, and that his appearance signals that I am calling him in to help me, but in reality he is part of me. If I centre myself in this sudden knowledge the problem will be solved. I also realise that by centring myself I am also calling in my Higher Self, (or Divine Self) and it is from this point of realisation - Self Realisation, actually - that any appropriate solutions will come.
The door of the side room opens and my male friend comes out and walks casually over to my side. I feel his benevolent helpful, male-mind presence and tell him what happened to the computer - and he tells me, and I tell him, simultaneously that I only have to look across the room and the computer will have re-appeared. Dare I belief it? Yes! AND THERE IT IS!
But there is a wonderful, deeper meaning to this dream which I will go into later.
(I wrote this down in my journal at periods in the middle of the two or three nights following the dream where I saw the complete stranger, my New Self.
If you feel like skipping this repeated passage, perhaps because you've read it before, then go straight to the dream in green, below.)
* * *
"And so," said my angel at this point, sounding more serious, "let us continue on this journey of ours, and this conversation where you commune with your divine self.You dream once again of the New person, a not-yourself woman, (an Esme not as you've know her and identified with all your life,) and waking, you find your body reacting by seizing up. I have told you many time before that this painful and extremely uncomfortable sensation is a reaction to fear, and we have been trying out a few exercises to help you develop your own understanding of the phenomena you are meeting. A simple exercise -- we gave you an example of two people, let's call them ... it doesn't matter, it could be X and Y or whatever you choose.
X is the Old you, the familiar, everyday you. She has your identity, (which, by the way, is just another illusion,) she has your memories, all your past in this life, the family, friends, events and incidents - everything that shaped your present life. X is constantly remembering details from the past, comparing and contrasting herself with others, "This is what happened to me; I made such mistakes; if I do this I'll miss out on that; if I don't do that I'll be sorry because look what happened last time; he is much better than me at blah blah... ; she has the advantage of a better whatever... better luck, better body, more attractiveness, greater talent... " on and on it goes. I'm not saying this picture is exactly you, you've more sense, more balance than that, haven't you! but just giving an illustration. X, the old you, lives in the present but is fearful of the future because of her experience of the past. You see the linearity of that? Yes, living this way we do create our reality, but we have created it out of our past experience and it is biased towards victimisation and lack - insufficiency of some kind, be it self-worth or health or wealth.
Let's carry on with this exercise and look now at Y.
Y is the same person but she looks at the past that she created and takes responsibility for it. She knows she gave her permission at some level for all that she experienced as she travelled her pathway. And what a lot of experience she did gain! Now she has arrived at that place where she looks in the mirror and sees herself, values herself, loves herself, and feels much better about herself all round. Her future is now filled with promise; new potentials are there on the table ready to be picked up. She lives in the Now, but it is a Now filled with compassion, love, understanding and self-awareness.
Think of it this way: This New Person lives now in the centre of a circle, no longer in the old linear manner with the Past behind, the Future ahead, and the Present You restricted by that continuum. Instead, by being in the Now, you're in the centre of a circle where you move on and up from level to level as your consciousness expands, and it's like being in a living, spinning spiral - a circle which is a spiral - hard to describe - but because everything around you moves at the same time and at the same rate, so you don't notice yourself changing. You feel the same Self to yourself, but we see you as we've always seen you, from outside the illusion of linearity. With delight we see you 'becoming' - not the right word, but for now....taking up more and more of your real self - expanding into your Divine Self.
Out of this realisation a new Creativity flows in, and it is an energy which is changing the planet - for you can't separate your human self from your planet. As your consciousness shifts and expands, so does the Earth's. Even though the Earth shakes, as it does - I'm sure you've all noticed - at the moment, weatherise -- extremes of heat or cold, rain or drought, fire and flood -- these are but her rebirthing contractions that you feel. But now you feel safe within your own knowing that You are the Creator. You have moved from Victim to Creator.
You stand upright in this New situation about to step forward - you take a step into unknown territory. You are about to encounter something you've never seen before, The Great Unknown - full of promise - a wonderful revelation. But there is no map drawn out for this new territory which opens up at your feet as you go forward into it. This shows what a powerful person you are. You forge ahead, and it comes to you that you have just given birth to something - but at this moment you can't see what it is you've given birth to. And suddenly all your fears come flooding back - all the dangers, the traps, the sharp snags that you imaging you might encounter. Your fear of making mistakes. You are not done with the Old You yet. But this is as it should be. These are unknown waters, and the unknown is your creative territory - your playground. Step into it - dive in - and discover the wealth of resources awaiting you, Shaman, Alchemist, Artist. There is more and more to come....."
* * *
Well, that was where the angel came to a stop. Several days and nights passed, days in which I had ventured out into decidedly unknown- for-me, territory. Way out beyond my comfort zone. I began taking lessons on website building and attempting to learn HTML code. Stressful, but exciting at the same time. And then came this new dream.DREAM.
I am in a large, light room. Big windows. A lot of space. I'm sitting at a desk or table in the centre of the room and there are other people around me at desks of their own. It feels like a place where a lot of creative activity goes on, but I seem to be using a larger than usual, big-screen computer and am intent on some important, but difficult work. It's in unfamiliar code - rather over-my-head technically, and it's making me a bit tense. I feel concerned that if I make a mistake, do something wrong by accident, I'll lose some extremely important work.
I have to make a decision: there's no-one to ask 'Shall I or shan't?' so I must take a huge risk and act. I press 'Enter' --- and the whole *****!!! thing disappears! Not just the work. The ****!!!*** computer disappears!!!! Blank space where it sat. I'm horrified! Lost! What am I going to do? I look frantically around the room, but it's no-where to be seen. I look under the table - get down on my hands and knees --- Nothing! I try to calm myself. I realise that panic will get me nowhere, but this is something inexplicable and I know I can't retrieve the situation myself.
At that moment an old friend (who actually died many years ago) comes into the room, and we greet one another. He, I realise, will have the answer. But he walks past me casually, telling me he's busy with something else. He goes off into a side room with a client, turning to smile and wave at me as he goes. I'm getting the feeling now that I have to take charge of myself, my panicky emotions, and be aware of what my internal energy is doing. I also know that this male figure represents my Male Self, and that his appearance signals that I am calling him in to help me, but in reality he is part of me. If I centre myself in this sudden knowledge the problem will be solved. I also realise that by centring myself I am also calling in my Higher Self, (or Divine Self) and it is from this point of realisation - Self Realisation, actually - that any appropriate solutions will come.
The door of the side room opens and my male friend comes out and walks casually over to my side. I feel his benevolent helpful, male-mind presence and tell him what happened to the computer - and he tells me, and I tell him, simultaneously that I only have to look across the room and the computer will have re-appeared. Dare I belief it? Yes! AND THERE IT IS!
But there is a wonderful, deeper meaning to this dream which I will go into later.
