Exercise Eighteen

June 8th, 2006

Releasing the World - Continuing to Surrender

As we spiral around Exercise Two again, we see that its intention was to watch our thoughts, to observe and to surrender our thoughts and ultimately to release our interest in what is being thought. We practiced letting go of the interest in the content of mind.

The world of the spiritual aspirant, we are told by all the great teachers, is a dream, is an illusion. We are focused on surrendering this illusion when we decide to commit to enlightenment. How can surrender be a possibility while engaged in a world that is totally believed?

Today's exercise is about surrendering the belief in the world. It is about withdrawing our absolute trust in the senses. What our eyes see, what our ears hear, what our nerves feel, what our nose smells is so unquestioned. Let us release our observation, our experiencing, of the world and ask that the Truth be revealed to us.

EXERCISE

• Last week you practiced erasing the body, which revealed complete 'self awareness'. This exercise is an extension of the same awareness. You are well developed in the skill of watching your thoughts. Transfer this skill into watching the world.
• When practicing this exercise, ask for Divine Assistance, then wait for the response. Be certain that you hold a constant stance of awaiting an answer rather than thinking you have it.
• Look about and observe whatever is before you as if you were looking at a movie. Like watching the mind which releases being the thoughts, we are watching the world and releasing being the experience.
• Watch the room you are in, like you do when watching a movie. Feel the shift in awareness that arrives immediately as you take this stance. Fear will likely rise up. Use your releasing emotion skills to let it go. [review exercises nine and eleven]
• Hold firmly and unwaveringly to your intention of watching, rather than participating. Fix your attention on the understanding that you are awake in a dream, or walking through a virtual movie. At the same time, ask for the Truth. What is the Truth of this situation?
• Walk outside or walk through your home. Walk around in this virtual movie set and be the audience. (Remind yourself how you attend when you watch T.V. or a movie and take that stance during this exercise.) At the same time, ask for the Truth. What is the Truth of this situation?
• Play with this state of mind frequently, expanding the duration. Notice that you can focus your attention on being awake in this dream for longer and longer periods of time. This begins the withdrawal of your belief in the world as real.
• Once you are practiced at watching the world, expand the exercise into releasing the other bodily sensations. Any sense that arises in your awareness, such as touch, or taste or feel is to be observed. Take simple, everyday experiences, such as sipping a drink, eating a meal, brushing your teeth and attempt to be the audience of these 'sensations'. In everyday consciousness, you believe they are real.
• This practice provides an opportunity to withdraw the belief in the reality of the sensate world. While practicing this exercise, remember to remind yourself to ask for the Truth. What is the Truth of this situation? Remember to wait an answer.
• As with watching your world, you are attempting to disengage from the belief that the sensations you seem to experience are really you.
• What is the Truth? Be most aware of watching for the Truth to be revealed. Remember to maintain a stance of waiting for it to be revealed.
• Be at Peace. This exercise may bring up your primal fear of loss of self. You can re-contextualize this fear by reminding yourself that you are providing yourself an opportunity to surrender the belief in loss. Be at Peace and at the same time ask for the Truth of the situation.

N.B. This exercise can bring up powerful fear. Review and practice releasing techniques.