We talk a lot about the joy and bliss of becoming more enlightened, that is being our authentic self and remembering that we are part of the whole rather than a being that is separate from everyone and everything else. Most of us will find that as we progress along our journey that we will experience great bliss and lightness of being.
One of the things we don’t discuss very much is that as we find our way back to our authentic self, as we awaken, we may very likely not be accepted in the same way we once were by society, our family and sometimes those who are closest to us.
I think it is easy to delude ourselves into believing that as we awaken that the entire world will share in our discovery and in our jubilance and embrace us as we are only to find that in many ways quite the opposite tends to happen. As we awaken we find freedom within choosing to be our authentic self and in doing so we also are able to allow all others the same freedom to be exactly who they are and where they are in relationship to their own journey. When we truly awaken we do not look down our nose at those who continue to slumber, we do not separate ourselves from others who are not in the same place as we are. We understand that we are no better or worse than anyone else. We in essence extend our freedom to be to all others.
One could easily come to expect the same freedom to be extended back from others and this is where the delusion collides with reality. Yes, some will accept you as you and the changes you are going through while others will look at you with a jaded eye and question your motives and still others will seek to silence you, to separate you from the collective group to even crucify you. The changes that may manifest as you awaken will scare many who are asleep, they will not understand or appreciate where you are in your journey. The love and freedom that you extend will cause some to distance them selves from you or to attempt to squelch your voice, your being, your vibration.
This may cause confusion within your self. You may ask yourself is being awake worth the scorn and distance of others? Is being awake worth the rejection or pain that you may receive?
It is natural to want to share our joy with others and we should, however there is not need to become preachy or to come across as righteous or holier than thou. To do this would be a manifestation of our ego. Our spirit does not seek to convert others to where we are or what we are experiencing. The key is to be truthful with our self and not to become so focused on convincing everyone else as to what we are experiencing. As we our truthful to our self and we awaken we all are impacted because we are all connected.
When we are truthful with our self we must find the courage to stay aligned, we must be willing to accept the slings and arrows of others and if we are to be crucified for being authentic, for being awake that we must also accept that this is part of our journey.
Through our history we can find many instances of enlightened beings being crucified literally and figuratively because by being authentic they were viewed as a threat from those who were still in there slumber.
Be the love that you are and understand that some will love you while others will be indifferent to you and others will hate you and send each all of your love for that is who you are. Remember that you are not defined by the opinions of others, you are defined by your spirit therefore the slings and arrows of others are an external annoyance however it is your choice to allow them to penetrate your being or to have them bounce off you and return them with love.
Oh, this post is just what I needed. I feel like I’ve just drank a big glass of cold water on a scorching day. I’ve been troubled by learning what to do with the disaproval of others while accepting myself. I have found some peace and calm within myself the past couple of years and others see the difference in me & don’t seem to understand. People do try to, “squelch my voice,being, and vibration” as you so beautifully put it. I’ve never preached or really talked much about my experiences, but people notice and I haven’t known what to do. So now I know to let the ,”slings and arrows” bounce off & send them love & let the rest go. Thanks so much!
Dandy,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and your experiences. This is an area that we don’t talk about enough. There are times in our transformation where we may not feel the love from others and times when we feel disoriented. This is all part of our journey and it is important to know that this is okay. Much love to you!
I had a situation that I blogged about on Tuesday where this very thing happened. I didn’t want to come across as ‘holier than thou’ but I know that I’ve grown and couldn’t do what I was asked to do.
Thanks again, Mark.
This post is fantastic and really hits home with me. Over the last year, I’d like to think I’ve done more growth than I have in the lifetime leading up to it, but I’ve also had a handful of relationships dissolve at the same time. Was it consequential? Maybe. Was it coincidental? Perhaps. But I think part of becoming more enlightened leads to a new sense of self – a self which perhaps is no longer comfortable with people just because they’ve accompanied you for a long time. I guess you could look at it like an interior decor project – a kitchen that was full of old pots and pans, brown-tinged tiles stained from the years, retro linoleum and dusty cupboards. It all worked together for so long because nothing changed. Give everything a facelift, clean everything down, paint the walls turqoise and invest in some shiny new cookware, and things look a million times better – and an old, battered, rusted pot would look completely out of place. Just because something, or someone, has been in your life for a long time before you moved onto the next phase of your life, doesn’t mean they necessarily belong in it once the shift of consciousness has been made. That being said, I’ve found that for as many relationships that have shown disapproval or dissolution, new ones have cropped up – more fitting, accepting, and harmonious with where I am right now.
Thanks Mark.
“The outside reflects the inside”, also know as the “Law of Attraction” and the “Law of Correspondences”. We change on the inside and the outside morphs to reflect these changes. The whole process is one of becoming Self Nurturing, instead of being co-dependent.
The stage described is the stage where all our emotional attachments to situations and people come to hit us right in the face. So we will notice and realize to what extent we are co-dependent…expecting to receive from others what we have denied giving to ourselves. Like acknowledgment and acceptance for instance. This is the reality of being a “2″. “2′s” only form relationships with other “2′s”, because a “2″ is not a whole person, so looks to others to complete them. A “2″ is a leaning stick, dependent upon others.
Once awakened, we can no longer be a “2″. We are on our way to becoming an “11″, which is being Self Nurturing, or being nurtured from the inside. “11′s” only form relationships with other “11′s”, as “11′s” are whole persons and form relationships with other whole people or those who are on the path of becoming whole.
Even though we have awakened to a new pattern of thought and belief about ourselves, there are still parts of ourselves that don’t go along with the new program, buried deep in the layers of our subconscious. We still have all the layers of our self doubt and self denial in our subconscious to deal with. We will have people in our lives that are going to reflect our own self judgments and self doubt to us, so that we have an opportunity to acknowledge and recognize that we have self judgments still buried within us, that we’re going to have to work to release ourselves from. No one awakens feeling completely assured, simply because our minds are still filled with doubt, fear and judgment being caused by beliefs we hold.
The Path is finding these beliefs within us and choosing not to believe them anymore. Freeing ourselves from their limitations.
As long as we continue to look outside ourselves, our way will continue to be blocked. People will not understand, are not ready to understand, etc. The purpose of being blocked in our outer direction is for the purpose of sending us back within to discover and heal all the wounds we have self inflicted. The habit pattern of looking outside of ourselves is what is being broken, with Self Realization and Self Recognition as the goal. Which are impossible to experience as long as we are looking outside of ourselves.
The process is simple but no one ever said it was easy. Simple, yes; easy, no.
Unconditional Love is UNconditional. Once we’ve got our understanding wrapped around this one, then Unconditional Acceptance and Unconditional Tolerance are next on the list. (which are actually more challenging)
We have awakened…that’s the 1st step. The next step is filling ourselves with Compassion and having done that, we are then emPowered to transform the World. Because then and only then, do we understand what needs to change, from what and to what.
I guess I missed out on this one Mark. I never had any ideas that enlightenment would mean being loved by everyone. Maybe because with enlightenment came the understanding that not many of us know how to Love in the 1st place?
So many changes it is hard to chop wood and carry water…
I really needed this today. I woke up with a heavy stone on my chest because of something I read last night that felt like a personal dig against me without having identified me as the target. I woke several times during the night to tell myself that maybe I was overreacting. Let it go, let it go.
Not everyone is going to love me. That’s true. Let it go, let it go.
Thanks, Mark.
Hi MArk -
having “arrived” I find it to be quite lonely at times. People shy a way from authenticity as it challenges the same of them. Great post. And speaking of lonely – ever since I asked you if you lived close to me and that perhaps you would come for a meal with my home made marinara sauce I haven’t heard from you? Was I too forward? I am so sorry if I over stepped a line.
Love to you
Gail’
peace……
Gail,
I apologize for my absence. Life has been non-stop busy lately. I would love to come up for dinner sometime and I appreciate your invite. You could never be too forward. You have not stepped over any lines for there are no lines. Looks like life is leveling out again and I should be able to get back to visiting my favorite people like yourself. Much love to you!
phew……………….
Mark,
Awesome! This is so true and the trap of thinking we’re ahead or better is a big temptation of the ego. And when we remember we are one we all become enlightened so there’s no need for comparison. You rock…and the the music brings me back to watching them on Ed Sullivan when I was 10 yrs old;)
Mark, love the way you invite readers to reflect on unconditional self-acceptance and implications of the lack of it. One either accepts everything about oneself now and thus allows enlightenment to reveal itself within or, one selectively accepts oneself and projects inner judgment which reflects back in others’ judgment of us. One revelation is that enlightenment is aready here. When you reach the point where what other people say does not matter, you realize you actually decide how you feel.
One very important stage of the magician, is his crucifixion.
It is inevitable.
Not my will, but thine, be done!
Thank you Mark..this was exactly what I needed today..because it is what I am feeling in my life as I prepare to go to my first ever metaphysical conference cross country in NY..while I have lots of support, my closest friends are not happy with this newness…which left my mind with lots to consider..so I once again let my heart lead:)