When you experience interruptions or changes in the way you expect things to be, it’s always a favor. Every expectation is a chain, so when something comes in to interrupt an expectation, it’s an opportunity to drop the chain. So remember this: When the unexpected comes, it’s here to assist you in dropping the practice of encumbering yourself. You are used to weighing yourself down with ideas that you don’t need, so experiences come to relieve you of them.
Practice with the little interruptions to your expectations, and you won’t need bigger ones to get your attention. We have to tread carefully here when advising you to practice with little interruptions. Ego comes in very quickly with this thought: “Something terrible is about to happen, but if I practice very hard, then I will avoid this tidal wave that is heading in my direction.” Remember that ego’s job is to lie to you, and you invented ego so it would lie to you. Just because you are accustomed to listening to ego and believing its lies does not mean that any of its lies can be true.
So take a moment to sink into that. Every experience that comes gives you a chance to detach from ego’s lies, and this is why you feel better. You can receive nothing but gifts. So back to ego’s prediction of some disastrous tidal wave–let’s let that fade and replace it. You are carried safely through the illusion of time to the full realization of the Love all are, and along the way you are given many experiences that help you drop expectations and see through the fiction of time so you can just bask in this love. Carried safely. Carried in Love. Put your focus there.
We would like to address the opportunity of irritation. If irritation arises, remember this: “This is just practice. How can I make best use of practice?” The best use of practice is to allow the parts to become the whole. When you experience irritation you are convinced. You are convinced that there is a separate cause that is irritating, and you are convinced that you are a separate one, and you have been disturbed. All fictional. An experience of irritation is a chance to see through the fiction. When you are very good at seeing the fiction, irritation no longer disturbs you. Irritation is a helpful alert that tells you this: Attention! You are looking at a fiction as if it is the truth.
How do you reap the benefit of being shown that you are believing lies from the entity you invented to send you lies? You very simply go to your willingness:
I have been looking at my invented fictions as if they are the truth. I am willing to be shown what is true now.
When it seems that a particular someone triggers irritation, manufacture a memory of putting a notice up asking for a partner in a simulation for the purpose of training you in right-mindedness. There is your partner–the one who said, “Sure, I’ll help. Anything for you.” This is what you can give thanks for–the fact that this being is showing up to help you emerge into the full remembrance of truth.
When it seems that someone wants to rant and rave about you, remember that by listening deeply you can give them the space to advise themselves. For now, this is a helpful way of looking at it. They are expressing themselves with intensity, and that means that they quite intensely want to remember their true nature. You’re looking at a mirror. You want to remember, too. You’re not going to get them there to their remembrance by interfering or explaining. You’re going to help get them there by listening, being open, being receptive, and understanding that there is no threat to you present–only an opportunity for both of you to wake up.
There is something they want to say to themselves. It may seem like they are talking about you or about a condition, but there is actually something they want to say to themselves, and if you remain quiet, they can advise themselves in a way that you don’t need to understand. You’re just willing to give them the space and to love them.
Why wouldn’t you appreciate them when they are helping you so much? Let’s say that it seems they just want to offer a mild criticism. They are giving you a chance to observe ego’s massive defense system flipping up to deflect a blow. Think of playing tennis. In tennis, want to hit that ball back at them. But you are actually love, and as love, you don’t need to deflect anything. In this simulation to assist you back into right-mindedness, you are learning how to drop the habit of attempting to defend. This is Jedi stuff, but it’s cooler than light sabers.
The ego’s old offering of defensiveness rises up, and you can sit still and watch what arises instead. You don’t have to do anything to make yourself okay or worthy, because you were worthy before the criticism seemed to come. You are worthy as it is headed your way, and you are worthy forever. Can it impact? Can it be felt as pain or as a mild irritation? Only to alert you to untrue thinking to which you are still attached. It is only ever a service, and it only ever highlights the chains to which you still cling. It only ever gives you the opportunity to drop your own chains and to go deeper into service.
So gratitude. Gratitude for everyone who shows up to be in a simulation with you. Gratitude for the fact that everyone benefits. Gratitude for the fact that you don’t have to analyze or judge it. Gratitude for the fact that all are worthy prior to commencement of the simulation. All are worthy during the totality of the simulation. Are are worthy forevermore after the simulation. Just gratitude.
We thank you for showing up today, and we have nothing but gratitude for you.
Love's Beginning 