Last week’s newsletter article, "How
Do You Let Go,"
created some excellent feedback. So we’re doing a follow-up to
that newsletter this week.
John Cali
Here is one of the letters we received in
response to last week’s article, followed by my response.
"I don't have time for a nice long
reply this week but there is one thing I'd like to address re:
CJ's reply. I certainly agree with his ‘trying’ vs ‘doing,’
and then I'd like to go on to his ‘intending,’ as well. He's
right, there is no ‘trying,’ there is only ‘doing’ or ‘not
doing,’ but beyond that is simply ‘being.’ Even ‘doing’
can sometimes be counterproductive since it's generally ego-based.
I believe that sometimes the things that happen to us that seem so
devastating occur to get us to the point where all we can ‘do’
is ‘be.’ IOW, bring us to surrender, to get us to ‘let go.’
"Trying, doing, etc, are all activities
of the ego/personality, not soul-work. Even intending can be an
egoic activity and therefore not functional. But letting go is so
very hard. It takes a great deal of trust and people who have been
hurt have little trust to give. Sometimes the only thing/person
they can trust is themselves and the only answer to that is to
lose themselves in some way, too. When they discover that they
can't even trust themselves/their bodies, then and only then will
they meet the possibility of letting go. I know."
My response:
"I completely agree with you
-- beyond trying, doing, not doing is simply ‘being.’ In fact,
we wrote something many years ago on that very subject. It might
make a good follow-up. As I read over CJ's message after I
channeled it, I had the same thought you did -- ‘doing’ can be
counterproductive, especially if you're acting (or doing) out of a
sense of desperation. As opposed to just be-ing and
allowing."
The letter writer has given me permission to use her name and
email addresses, should any of you want to contact her. Her name is
Sam, and you can reach her at this
email address or this
one.
Now here’s Chief Joseph.
Chief Joseph
We agree with Sam -- there is "trying" --
"doing" -- "intending." Then there is
"being."
The "being" takes us full circle here. Why? Because
everything we talked about last week, and everything we are talking
about this week, is all about being -- BE-ing who you are.
You are not "compartmentalized" entities. Yes, you have
"parts" -- your soul or your higher self, your human
physical self, and all the roles you play as your human self: child,
parent, lover, friend, teacher, student, and so on.
You are all of these, and much more, now -- all at once. The
separateness you feel about your various "parts" is an
illusion. You are not separate. You are whole and complete
just as you are.
Certainly, you often perceive these various parts of your being as
separate. That helps, for example, for you to navigate your physical
world with your physical body. You could hardly do that if you were
seeing yourselves only as spirit.
Of course, that is who you really are -- spirit, but for now spirit
with a physical, human extension.
You sometimes get yourselves into "hot water" when you
get too hung up on the various aspects of yourselves, and the various
activities, if you will, you engage in -- trying, doing, intending,
being, etc.
All of this is good. All of this is part of that greater you. All
of this is as it should be. All of this is simply a step on your
eternal journey of joy and growth.
The biggest point we want to make here today is this:
You can always, always trust yourselves. Even when you’re
only "trying." Even when you’re "doing." Even
when you’re "intending." And especially when you are
simply "being" -- which is the most powerful
"activity" you can ever "do."
When you are feeling fully connected to your higher self, then you
have reached the ultimate state of be-ing you can reach while still in
a physical body.
From that ultimate state, you can completely trust yourselves to
always "do" the right thing. We call this inspired action,
as opposed to forced action.
When you are acting from your centered place of joy and love, every
action you take, everything you do, will be perfect.
When you are taking action from a confused state of fear and
frustration, it will always be counterproductive, and simply plunge
you farther and faster into a downward spiral. That is forced action.
The key here, friends, is to never "do" anything that
does not feel good or right. For then you are taking action to help
yourselves feel good, or at least better.
That’s all backwards. That is forced action. But when you act
from a deep sense of joy and passion, then all you do will be perfect
and fulfilling. That is inspired action. Now you are seeing your lives
and yourselves as your higher selves do.
Then all will be well in your world, even when you are facing your
human challenges.
You are never alone, even in your darkest hour. Your higher selves
are always there, loving you. When you feel that love, you will never
again know darkness. All you will know will be the light you are.
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P.S. from John: After reading this message from Joseph, I
realized it was totally different from what I expected and, perhaps,
from what you expected. But then I have yet to accurately anticipate
any message from Joseph. I really ought to give up that exercise in
futility. ;)
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Chief Joseph and I recently did two articles for the alternative
spirituality magazine, Cosmic
Lighthouse, on the hotly
controversial topic of prostitution. This was before the outbreak of
the prostitution scandal with Governor Eliot Spitzer of New York, my
home state. A pure "coincidence."
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