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Wrestling With Yourself

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Real Change

Real Change

Last updated on: June 24, 2014 at 11:19 am by David Matthew Brown

Real Change 2014-06-24T11:19:48-06:00 David Matthew Brown

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Many people want to pray for the world. Which is a fine gesture and looks good, but it seems the invitation to each of us, is not to pray for the world to change, but pray for us to change how we are in the world and how we see it. The world is in us. When I see suffering in the world, then I must look at my own suffering inside. I am one with what I see, no division. When I fear, then I fear. When I love, then I love. We are all contributing to the collective story with our actions, words, and energy. So real responsibility is our inner world, not somebody else’s. I can’t change you. You are you. So real change can only come from within. When we see love within, then we can see love in everything. Then real change can occur, and the divisive story we tell in the world of war, nationalism, borders, gossip columns, money, power, and judging each other will end, because they have ended inside of us. Till then, we continue to do the work inside of ourselves so we only see and know love as who we are.

When I react to situation, I am coming from powerlessness within. The condition is dictating the reaction, and so power is outside of who I am. Yet when I live within, keeping attention on the inner life and the other half on the outer life, then I enter true responsibility. My responsibility is not in controlling you, judging you, separating you and I, condemning you, gossiping about you, having power over you, manipulating you, playing games with you, wanting you to change, because that would be reacting, not responding. Responsibility is simply able to respond. A response comes solely from within out. Does this mean that I will never get upset, or disagree, or stand up for people? No it does not mean that at all. As you enter your own temple inside, and sit there in silence, you will begin to sense awareness. So when you are upset, while you are upset, you are aware of being upset, and this a powerful way to be on the planet.

For example, when your leg is bouncing around in nervousness, and you notice it, the leg stops. This is the power of awareness. If you are aware of being upset in the moment of upset, then the energy passes through quickly, and you are able to right the wrong. If there is one to fix. Awareness meets every situation perfectly. Bring awareness to your judgments of others, gossip of others and you will discover your inner world is terrified, scared of out there. Yet there is no out there or in there. It is all one. Like I spoke of earlier. If you worry, you are worried, you become worry. So you become fear, I fear now. If you love, then you are love, I love now. If your faith teaches that God is love and is every where then there is no separation anywhere. If your faith teaches of a void that is everywhere then you live in the void. If your faith teaches you that there is a man out there then there is powerlessness everywhere. Your only responsibility is what is mentioned by our spiritual teacher Jesus, shut the door, and listen.

wrestling with yourself

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