Exercise Twenty-Eight

August 31st, 2006

Surrendering the self in the Field of Consciousness

We begin to see that each lesson is becoming like another. We watch and we observe and we realize that we are not what we thought we were. We experience that we can, if we are willing, let go of whatever we 'think' we are - be that an emotional state or a 'self'.

Watching our thoughts and feelings and watching the ebb and flow of 'thinking-ness' seems to potentiate a deepening of surrender. We begin to meld with the Silence. We find we prefer the Field to the 'self'.

Nothing causes anything, everything happens in and of itself.

As we practice surrendering everything that arises in our life and mind to God, we potentiate experiencing 'that which we are'.

• We surrender wanting Enlightenment.
• We surrender wanting.
• We let go of every attachment.
• We focus on the manifest and the un-manifest with equal openness.

Exercise twelve was about holding and moving our attention from small self or active mind to the field of consciousness. Yet to do so we still were the observer focused on the Field.

As we spiral around exercise twelve again, as we hold in the 99% awareness, let us use our surrendering skills to let go of the awareness of 'small self'.

EXERCISE

Here is a review of being in the 99% Silence:

• Ask that your will be united with Higher Will (810). Ask that Holy Spirit be with you, assisting you in your intention) 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 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.

Now, while holding your attention on the Silence, ask if you could let go of the small self, the one aware of the Field of Consciousness?

Using the releasing skills, surrender any fear that arises as you consider surrendering your small self.

• Once again, re-focus on the Field of Consciousness, the 99% Silence.
• Consider the question "Would I surrender the watcher and be the Field?"
• Release any fear that pulls you into the 'small self' and out of the Field.
• Use images of ice melting in a lake; steam dispersing in the air.
• Think of The Field as the space and you as the object and decide to be the Space and surrender the object.
• Recall that you are merely honing the skill of surrender.

This exercise will offer great flexibility which is a necessary state of being when doing you spiritual work.