Mystics throughout the ages have often taught that it is possible to speed up the natural process of evolution of the human soul. Why would one want to do that? If evolution is natural, why interfere with the process? Well, it’s not so much an interference as an exponential development, and we think you’ll see how this works if you understand that the process of human evolution is really the process of universal love – of the combined forces of compassion, joy, appreciation, gratitude, nurturing and service – unfolding to such an extent in our minds, hearts, bodies and lives that ultimately everything is subsumed by it. Well, when that kind of love starts to bloom in us, as we move beyond personal, conditional love, it is not going to want to wait around! It is going to want to give itself, to alleviate suffering, to nurture the souls of others and to shed a light for them to see by. The conscious choice to become an instrument of universal love, to ‘love God above all things and our neighbour as ourselves’, even to the extent of being willing to ‘lay down our life for our friends’, is what triggers the process of accelerated evolution. Once we reach that point, it is as if we pass through a door, on the other side of which life gets, well… interesting.
Why? Because universal love pulls us – with a force equal to our desire to serve it – out of our conditioning, out of the sad lies we tell ourselves, out of everything that binds us and prevents us from being free, whole and true. And that can, at times, feel exactly like being dragged through a large number of hedges backwards. Persecution, rejection, loneliness, illness, confusion, heartbreak and slander are then even more likely to be on your life’s menu than formerly, as the power of love unfolding in you takes you beyond not only your own limitations, but also the limits set by the social group, culture and nation to which you belong. Does a plant feel pain as it breaks through the dark soil into the light and air above? We don’t know, but humans certainly do. Clearly then, we could make life much easier for ourselves if we understood what was going on and could cooperate with it.
Which brings us to that well-known story about the house built on sand, which falls down, versus the house built on rock, which does not. For sure there are many layers of meaning to this story, but we would like to focus on one in particular. What is the best foundation for love, the one which will ensure that our structures are built straight and true, and do not fall down? It is the ability to love ourselves, to feel and accept the love of others and of the divine, and to see the divine perfection of all things – not just outside ourselves, but inside ourselves.
The fabric of divine perfection
When people have near-death experiences, these very often involve a profound experience of how very much they are loved, and how everything they ever did, however much they are ashamed of it, is woven beautifully into the fabric of divine perfection.
This immersion in divine love can sometimes have such a far-reaching effect on them that they are completely freed of the physical ailments that caused them to ‘die’ in the first place, and they live out the remainder of their lives with far greater wisdom, confidence and love. So we can say that, when we are born into the afterlife (we prefer the idea of being born to the idea of ‘dying’, because death is an illusion really), perfect love and care are absolutely there for us, and the only question is whether we will be able to perceive it.
But what happens when we are born into life on Earth? Well, in the West at least, it is not unlikely that we will be born to parents who, because they were not loved properly as children themselves, do not know how to unconditionally love their own offspring. And this can result in the child growing up with what can only be described as a ‘hollow’ feeling – the feeling of not being lovable, of not being worthy of love, and of not being able to receive the love of others. If you have that feeling yourself, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about. Such people – and there are many of us – often feel tormented by guilt, loneliness and depression, not to mention ill-health. And while they may be very loving, caring people, their love is never free of that slightly ‘hollow’, brittle quality, and despite their best intentions, their love may often miss the mark.
And then there are the huge numbers of people who grow up so damaged by lack of love that they develop a thick shell which is almost impossible to penetrate, and their innate wisdom is totally occluded. Is it any wonder then, that in our society, so much is driven by harsh materialism, greed and selfishness? And can you imagine how very different our world would be if every child was welcomed and surrounded by true, unconditional love?
As it is though, by the simple means of bringing children up in a way that does not respect the beauty and purity of their souls, and making them feel guilty and incomplete instead, adversarial forces have enslaved humanity and kept us from our birthright, which is wholeness. And for anyone who, moved by love, has passed through the door mentioned above, the spiritual path is made much more difficult than it really needs to be.
Being free of our ballast
Is there any way we can free ourselves of the ballast we are burdened with by our upbringing? Is there any way we can be released from those feelings of unworthiness and guilt that make us hide from love, even while we strive to give it to others? Is there any way our hollowness can be filled without actually having a near-death experience?
Of course there are lots of ways, but first and foremost is to recognise, as Mikael always says to his patients: ‘It’s not your fault!’ And nor is it your parents’ fault, or your parents’ parents. It’s simply an unhelpful pattern that has been handed down for so long that more healthful ways of loving have been forgotten about.
Here’s another way. You can talk to God and listen to what She says back to you. Everyone has the innate ability to do this, even if they aren’t aware of it, and in times gone by it was a much more common practice, which is why those ancient spiritual texts in the form of dialogues between a deity and a mortal, such as the Book of Thoth, were written.
To help you, here’s such a conversation, and you’ll find many more in Be Still and Know I Am God, which Cygnus has just published.
Seeker: I see that both the love and the wisdom in me are undermined by feelings of unlovableness, unworthiness and guilt. Please heal me of this. Please help me to feel your love and know my own perfection.
God: My dear friend, know that I love you just as you are, that there is not one part of you in which I do not rejoice. Be secure in the knowledge that the love in you is drawing you towards Me as surely as a magnet draws iron. You can never fall out of My hand. My love is sufficient for you.
Seeker: Dear God, I know this, but oftentimes I do not feel it. Is there a remedy?
God: Of course. I would never leave you without help. Go out into the natural world and you will see that I have surrounded you with an infinitude of mirrors to remind you of your true nature at every turn. Do you see a beautiful flower? Know that it is a reflection of the beauty inside you. A soaring, graceful tree? Know that it reflects your own soul’s grace, and the height of your aspirations towards Me. A blackbird singing? A reminder of your own soul’s harmony and music. A flowing river? Your love flows and quenches thirst in just the same way. A cloud? Simply a reminder that even your blemishes serve a perfect purpose in My plan, and are therefore every bit as lovable as the rest of you.
Seeker: What about when I cannot go outdoors? I feel the need for constant reminders of your truth. Nothing less will enable me to dissolve the habit of not loving myself.
God: It’s simple. Beauty and joy are expressions of Me. Therefore surround yourself as much as you can with beauty, and whatever gives you joy. Notice them. Savour them. Even in tiny things. And above all recognise that beauty in all its forms reflects and awakens the beauty inside you and in every human being. You are whole and complete, and everything you have ever done, ‘good’ or ‘bad’, is an accepted and loved part of My plan. Recognize yourself in all your glory. Then go out into the world and love Me, your neighbour and yourself with uninhibited passion. And be free.
Seeker: What about people? How do I receive their love when they seek to give it to me? I am often just a little bit afraid to do this, and hold back when I could be open-hearted.
God: Don’t worry. Your fear is okay, and you are okay. Just knowing this will help you move past all that holds you back. Be spontaneous. Remind yourself that the beauty you see in others exists in you in equal measure. Then it will not be difficult to accept the love of others. And when they offer to help you, just say ‘yes’.
Seeker: But I have noticed that I often just say ‘no’, or run away, even when I would like to do the opposite. I am so afraid of being hurt.
God: I understand. But you are confusing genuine love with perfect love. Genuine love doesn’t have to be perfect. You can easily sense if someone’s love for you is genuine or not. Even a baby can do that! And that should be your only question. If you feel the love of another is genuine, welcome it. It may not be perfect, as indeed yours may not, either, but those very imperfections will provide growth experiences for you both.
So don’t be afraid to welcome any genuine impulse towards love. Vulnerability, openness and trust are essential for My love to flow freely in you. And why would you be afraid anyway? Are you so small and weak? Who gave you that idea? It wasn’t Me! Remember your original wholeness and purity, and you will have no need to fear vulnerability. Then try to keep in mind, when people approach you in a truly loving way, that you don’t want to run away. You want to be loved, and you want to receive the love they are offering. Love, being Light, will shine into your dark places and may well make you feel uncomfortable, at least to start with. But don’t be afraid of that feeling. Just allow it, and it will pass. Hold fast to Love, and Love itself will transform you.
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Finally, here is an exercise you can do to remind yourself of your true nature and of the fact that you are not only loved, but eminently lovable. It’s a good idea to do it every day. Look at yourself in a mirror, see yourself with clear eyes and say (and most importantly, feel):
‘I know you. I love you.’
And wait until the feeling of that love has completely penetrated your heart and mind.
That way, slowly but surely, you will be able to systematically undo any loveless conditioning that affected you during childhood, and the firm foundation for the rest of your spiritual growth will have been laid. Let’s do it together.
With much love from Ann, Mikael, Geoff and the Cygnus Team
Mikael Nordfors can be contacted via www.medicdebate.org
He has also written a piece of music, called ‘You Are Wonderful’, which you may find is another excellent tool for remembering the divine Love in which every particle of your being is, in fact, bathed. You can download it free from www.last.fm
