Thanks to the world we live in, we’ve developed many habits that are the direct result of living almost exclusively “in-ego” rather than in-Spirit. This will stress how to gain awareness of these ego habits, how to immediately protect ourselves from these onslaughts, and how to develop alternate strategies to ensure that we remain connected to Spirit—even in the face of a blitzkrieg that’s designed to take us away from living an inspired life.
I’m not suggesting that there’s a conspiracy to keep us from living in-Spirit. My contention is simply that when a majority of society members are raised and persuaded to believe in the illusion of ego, then that society will develop and evolve firmly committed to that false self. It would then be natural for such a society to put forth messages designed to promote the idea of the importance of ego and all of its inherent ideas—and we’re fully immersed in just such a society.
I once heard Swami Satchidananda lecture about this subject of the collective ego and its unceasing impact on all of us. He looked at the two words heart and head, the symbols for Spirit and ego, respectively, and confirmed that we’re in-Spirit when we act from our heart. Swami also observed that the word heart contains two words, he and art, and that leads to the thought that he and his art make up the heart.
The word head, on the other hand, also contains two words—he and ad—which leads to the thought that he and his ad make up the head. Swami reminded us that the head is an advertisement—that is, it’s the ego looking for recognition. He then asked a question I’ve never forgotten: “Why is it that lovers call each other sweetheart and not sweethead?” And he reminded us not to despise the head or symbolically cut it off, but rather to let our heart (that is, our feelings) lead, and the head will then follow, rather than the other way around. To that end, this chapter provides three steps to help us transcend the ego’s uninspiring energy. They are: becoming aware, cultivating a defense, and developing our own alternatives.
Some Suggestions for Transcending Commonplace, Uninspiring Energy
When you find yourself being exposed to media onslaughts that are decidedly uninspiring, listen to your very first impulse and switch off! Turn off the television or radio, leave the movie theater, put the magazine down, and affirm: I no longer wish to be in the energy field of anything that isn’t a vibrational match with Spirit.
Be aware of brazen attempts by pharmaceutical companies to profit off of your presumed maladies, with advertising telling you to consult your doctor for some new medication. Let the ad be a reminder that you’re an instrument of health; by doing so, your body will react to the messages being sent by your mind. Remember that your body/mind is the greatest pharmacy ever created. It has an unlimited potential for creating well-being since that’s where it originated from in the first place!
Say it out loud! By this, I mean, that you shouldn’t be afraid to make unusual or provocative affirmations. For example, you might avow: I won’t attract any further illness in my life. I’ll never allow myself to feel old, feeble, or frail; and I refuse to allow Alzheimer’s, cancer, or any other infirmity into my life. I don’t vibrate to frequencies that are designed to keep me from being in-Spirit.
Always remember that you’re a being who was created out of love. Write this out, place in a conspicuous place, and repeat it to yourself: I live in a Divinely Inspired Universe. I have nothing to fear. I trust in myself, and when I do so, I trust in the very Wisdom that created me. Convince yourself (as I have) that when you live on purpose and “take care that [you do] not cheat your neighbor,” then you’re watched over by a “Senior Partner” Who knows that you’re both living and vibrating to the same spiritual frequency.
Work at developing your faith each and every day by taking time to be quiet in conscious contact with the Creative Source of your being. When you take time to meditate and commune with Spirit, not only will you feel revitalized, but you’ll adopt a defense system that can’t be penetrated by efforts to uninspire you, no matter how frequently others may attempt to do so. Ultimately, you’ll find that you won’t even bother to invite uninspired energy into your life via the media—or any other source, for that matter.
With the Love of the Angels,
~Rev. Barbara
