Mind Over Matter - Ego-Body Illusion
Much of the world has been hearing about Mind - Body - Spirit (MBS) matters for the last 30 years or so, at least since the awareness of the Spiritual Revolution sparked in our minds.
MBS is such a contradiction in terms of trying to reconcile that which cannot be reconciled. Reality isn’t found through opposing viewpoints, nor is it discovered through that which isn’t real, such as a temporary device.
This idea, of course, is based on the assumption that reality is changeless and eternal. The opposing viewpoint, which seems to be the most popular theory to date, is that reality changes all the time, which means there is no eternal Truth. This looks like a major impasse.
We don’t want the body to be what we are because we are certain of its eventual decay and demise. The body is seriously limited and certainly not eternal. Real life, however, which is in the mind, is limitless and eternal. Thoughts which are eternal are all the same. The only thing these thoughts do is extend and give increase, which means that pure joy is endless.
How many of us can even begin to accept this idea in the face of all the seeming chaos and agony the world presents to us every day? Think about this ... the reason the world is an illusion is because everything that Love creates is eternal, and everything in this world is temporary. Love is eternal, the world is temporary and an illusion.
There’s no need to protect the mindless (the body) but there is a great need to protect our thoughts that hold real and lasting value to us. The body doesn’t think. It simply does what the mind tells it to do. So in every sense the body is similar to a robot. And the good news is ... this means we are not at the mercy of the world; nor are we at the mercy of our bodies.
It takes some serious and dedicated mind training to be willing to move past the temporary nature of our bodies and put our full focus on our thought system. The body is the great distraction from the Truth. It falsely holds out some sense of longevity – for a little while – yet at the same time it doesn’t take much time for us to recognize how fragile and vulnerable it is. The body is the symbol of separation from love.
For a while, it might seem cool to have a body - when it’s young and healthy and vibrant and can do all these cool, temporary things. But at some point it hits us like a ton of bricks, and we understand that if it sticks around long enough, it will fall prey to disease and aging, and finally be laid to rest in the ground, or spread like ashes in the wind. What and where does this leave us ... the real us?
Let’s take a really close look at the body for a minute, consider its value to us, and its role in our experience here. Certainly what it is made of isn’t valuable - primarily water and a little bit of mud. That doesn’t sound very scientific, but it's the bottom line.
We can use a thousand labels to describe the composition of this organism, but in the final analysis none of it matters, as we all know. What does matter is how we feel. Not so much physically, but mentally and emotionally. The mental and emotional experiences we have are reflected in our bodies, and not the other way around. The mind, which is invisible, determines the condition of the body. Much of our illness comes from mind.
And so it is our invisible world of thought which really deserves our attention, care, and nourishment on a level that is not physical at all. This recognition is where the Great Light of Love will shine in our minds and all around us, releasing us from the fear that is wrapped up in the belief that we are limited to the body.
There’s been a lot of activity revolving around the study of the brain, which is simply an organ of the body ... and not the seat of thought. Undoubtedly, there will be heated debates about this for eons to come, but no one has to side with false perceptions unless they choose to do so.
The mind is the decision maker. We cannot see the mind in action but we can and do experience the results of our decisions, which in turn determines how we feel. The bottom line in any situation is that we do care about our mental/emotional natures. Peace of mind will always be the most widely sought after experience, and there are billions of people who are openly ready to admit that this is true.
As long as we believe the body is our reality, we are going to be filled with fear. Fear of the unknown, aging, dying, sickness, and all the other attributes that go hand-in-hand with the limitations that seem to be imposed upon us as physical entities.
The primary question that every person will ask on his or her journey here is the same. Who am I? What are we? Is the body asking this question? And therefore, says reason, since the body is not asking the question, we can’t look to the body for any meaningful answer.
Only the mind is capable of asking and receiving a true answer to this question. It might seem a little frightening to admit there’s more to us than flesh and bones, but not when we consider the alternative and the certain outcome of our bodies.
Take a minute today to quietly ask the Big Question. Then sit in silence and allow the answer to be revealed. The gentleness of Truth will fill our minds with the perfect realization that can only take place in our thoughts. If our deepest desire is a reflection of what our reality is, then it stands to reason that Love, which is eternal, is what we are.
This revelation will happen for anyone who is willing to unify their thought system, and release themselves from conflict and fear. All fear and conflict is the result of refusing to experience our own love by refusing to give all our love away.
Make a commitment to experience Truth, for it is within us and all around us. We are all an extension of what is true, and this is the essence of our being. Lay those weapons down, and embrace what is indivisible, all powerful, and our perfect source of healing. Love is the Answer. Love is Truth.
Just a thought ...
~Justin Taylor, ORDM., OCP., DM.
My thanks to Carmen Allgood and Wake Up World.
