Letter from the Field: Should We Tell the Ocean That It’s Wet?
This letter has been edited out of my deep respect for the one being referred to.
Brackets [ ] indicate where I’ve edited.
Hi Fred,
I feel absolutely compelled to ask you about this. I thought about putting it on the forum, but want to see what you think. Yesterday, I listened to an interview with [a famous spiritual teacher]. Towards the end, with about 20 minutes left [the famous spiritual teacher] commented that he found early on that he could ‘wake up’ most people quickly and easily, but then decided that this was not a natural arising from within them, and seemed to be a manipulated awakening, so he consciously decided to stop doing this!!!!!
I was floored to say the least. Everything I hear indicates that the more people wake up, the more the world can change. I don’t get how [the famous spiritual teacher] can make a unilateral decision such as that (although of course that is perfect because it is arising – I get that).
Please have a listen as I may have misinterpreted what I heard and I haven’t yet had time to listen again. I would really appreciate your thoughts on this and once again I can only say how grateful I am with what YOU are doing. It takes a certain amount of courage and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. My whole life has changed as a result of my sessions with you, not to mention that the pain of constantly seeking through all kinds of modalities/retreats has come to an end. I am enjoying the ongoing process of gaining clarity now.
With love and gratitude,
Nancy
Hi, Nancy. I heard [the famous spiritual teacher] say that same thing several years ago, I think maybe in the audio edition of [one of his books], where there’s an interview at the end. He’s the only other teacher I’ve ever heard seem to say that he could “willfully” do what this teaching does, on a similar timetable. (There is the appearance and experience of free will within the dream of individuality.) I’ve reflected on that from time to time, and I don’t think God got it wrong [with that teacher or teaching], but I do see it quite differently.
I don’t wake up individuals. I can’t. There are no individuals, although Awakeness certainly has the experience of individuals when it’s dreaming the dream of being and thus experiences an accompanying sense of separation.
I simply help Awakeness notice that it’s already Awakeness. Wondering whether Awakeness should be “awakened” or left “not awakened” is like my looking at the ocean and wondering if it’s ready to be wet or not. Is it water? Then it’s already wet! Wetness is the nature, or essence of water. It can’t not be wet. I’m not fundamentally changing anything except the water’s viewpoint, which just so happens to change everything else – if it’s pursued by Awakeness through that unit.
By the time a seeker has discovered this teaching, paid a significant fee, and finds itself in front of and talking to Fredness, then to my mind it is self-evident that I’m “supposed to” help them to at least recognize True Nature. If they’re “supposed to clear and stabilize” (a.k.a. accepting What Is, As It Is), they’ll pursue clarity, by which I mean Awakeness will begin to release its hold on the lies in which it has cloaked itself in regard to that particular unit. If clarity is not “supposed to” be durable through that unit, Awakeness will again experience itself only unconsciously through that unit.
What Is, IS.
November 9, 2017 @ 5:44 pm
When Awakeness decided to play with experiencing what it’s not, when the prodigal son took a walk, that dreaming couldn’t not have as part of its dreaming “being helped from outside”. Why wouldn’t I want help as a nicer dreaming? A rude dream of awakening isn’t necessary. Thinking I needed help, that was a rude enough dream. Knowing I am of Help, I gladly take it – and give it. Funny his idea that he was manipulating. If that’s a believed belief, then it would be seen as an experience “proving” it. This mirror thing makes for quite a trickster when turned into a fun house mirror maze that this dreaming has made.
November 9, 2017 @ 7:42 pm
❤
November 10, 2017 @ 1:43 pm
I have a couple of comments regarding the unnamed spiritual teacher’s perspective. There is no difference between having Awakeness within a student awaken to itself spontaneously or being assisted by Awakeness through a teacher. It’s all Oneness anyway, so the manner in which ‘someone’ (there is no someone) wakes up doesn’t matter. Either way, the student was ready!
Relatedly, as a metaphor, if a person walking around the city is lost, do you (a) leave him alone and hopes s/he finds his way, (b) give him/her a map and have them try to figure out the city on its own, (c) give the person specific directions to their destination and wish him/her well or (d) walk the person directly to his/her destination. I know which approach I would prefer!
November 10, 2017 @ 2:12 pm
Hey, Vince! I like that analogy. 🙂 But of course the other teacher is not “wrong”. Every unit is doing precisely what it’s supposed to be doing until it does something else. I’m so glad he left this position open for me (so to speak)! ♥
November 10, 2017 @ 5:00 pm
And, pointing out a “pattern” in their way that they might not have seen yet. In time, “you” already have. Would you let your BRother fall in a ditch?! Only in dreaming could they, and only in dreaming would I “think” I should let them for their own good. Thanks for the perfect metaphor.
November 11, 2017 @ 2:06 pm
This is an interesting topic. It seems to me that there is no danger in awakening anyone because if they are not ready, they’ll quickly fall back asleep. I’m grateful Fred is willing to bring awakeness to anyone who manages to land in front of him!
Kathleen