Exercise Twelve

April 6th, 2006

Refer to Dr. Hawkins, Sedona Series, Integration of Spirituality and Personal Life, CD 2, first 5 minutes.

The 99% Silence: Focusing on the Field of Consciousness

Dr. Hawkins has calibrated that only 1% of the field of consciousness is active. The 1% is the personality, the small self, the ego. Its role is to survive, its intent is to maintain and grow its individuality, which it considers survival. The other 99% of Consciousness is Silent and considered our Source. Returning to our Source is the goal of spiritual aspirants.

Through our practice of watching the mind (Exercise Two) and watching the emotions (Exercise Seven), we have begun to develop skill in releasing our attachment to the noisy 1% of consciousness. We have begun to let go of the thoughts and feelings that seemingly held us in their grip. It is becoming easier to surrender our attention, as well as re-direct it. With that in mind we move into our next practice.

This exercise is about focusing on the rest of our Mind, the 99% of Consciousness that is Silent. It is about experiencing what we are.

You may notice that your response to the idea of being in absolute Silence is apprehension. Remind yourself to let go of any generalized fear that rises up. (use Exercise Nine). Remind yourself that Peace, Love and Joy is safe.

EXERCISE

• Ask that your will be united with Higher Will (850). Ask that Holy Spirit be with you assisting you in your Purpose of focusing on The Silence.
• For a time, take the stance of watching your thoughts, watching the mind as in Exercise two. Be the observer. Stand back and notice thoughts rising up and falling away.
• Next turn your attention completely around and away from the active mind. Focus instead on the whole Field. Become aware of the Infinite Field of Silence, the other 99% of Consciousness.
• It may be helpful to imagine a circle graph with a 1% slice sectioned off. That 1% is what we have been focused on and immersed in for our whole life. It is what has had us mesmerized and now, instead of noticing the dazzle, and babble, instead of attending to the thoughts and feelings, look to whole Ocean of Consciousness itself, the other 99%.
• Choose to listen to the Silence, to the Peace. Ignore the babble of the mind and instead, constantly focus on the Peace.
• Our mind has been described as a small radio blaring in a huge empty auditorium. Use the image of blaring, noisy radio to disengage from the bedazzlement of the ego and its thoughts and feelings.
• You have practiced watching the rising of thoughts. Now use that skill to become aware of and focused on this Peace which is constantly present.
• Be aware of how it feels to soak in the Silence, in the Peace. Imagine being magnetized to It, absorbed in It.
• If fear rises up, merely let it go. Use Exercise Eleven to assist you in surrendering the fear and then simply re-focus.
• Extend your awareness into the Silence, allow yourself to experience Its vastness, Its Safety, Its Power. Where does The Field end and you begin?
• Be at one with this Energy. Be ice in warm water, and meld into the Silence.
• If you lose your focus, merely re-direct your attention. This re-direction is like moving from noticing the trees to noticing the forest, from focusing on content to focusing on context. Losing your focus and getting caught up in thoughts and feelings may happen dozens of times during your practice. No matter. Make the loss of Peace an opportunity to surrender and re-focus.

Part II

• Once you become comfortable and skilled in abiding in the 99% Field for long periods of time, move your focus to doing so while engaged in activities.
• Awareness of the Silence will become predominant in your Consciousness. The ego, or noisy 1% of mind, will fall away into the background.

Utilizing this exercise allows you to experience, first hand, the Peace you are. The Field of Unending Silence is with us at all times. It is our Source, our sustenance. Just as we can only hear because of the silence around sound or see because of the space around the object or feel because of the non-feeling experience, so too is the Silence the Foundation of who we think we are. What will happen when we surrender who we think we are? We will be the Peace, The Silence. In practicing this exercise, you have joined your will with the Divine Will.