I have discovered a wonderful new symbol of our oneness! While jeeping through the Pikes Peak area, our guide mentioned that a grove of what seems to be several different aspen trees is really one living organism. The trees, which seem separate, are actually fully connected through a single underground root stock. The largest aspen grove is in Utah. It has about 41,000 “trees” coming off of one root stock. The whole forest is actually just one tree with many branches.
I’ve found that this symbol is sticking in my mind. Within ACIM circles, we tend to say, “There is no one else out there.” A friend pointed out earlier this week that this type of statement sounds flip to some. But, when looked at using the symbol of the aspen tree, the statement is easily understood. It is not that my tree (my existence) is a real tree and the tree (existence) that seems to be you is not real. The thought that we are separate trees (separate living existences) is a mistake. We are one tree (one existence or being)! Anything that I say to you or seemingly do to you, I actually say or do to myself. Isn’t this what Jesus meant went he said, “Whatever you did to the least of my brethren, you did to me”? There is no one else out there because, like the aspen grove, we are one Life. Separation is the illusion.
I have also been seeing perception clearly in the last couple of weeks. I have been seeing this in several different situations, but the theme is consistent. It is becoming very, very clear that when we believe our own perception of events, we cannot see beyond it. Our belief is a filter that only allows in that which fits with our belief. Completely different information can be available right in front of us, but if it doesn’t fit with our belief, we simply don’t see it.
I’ve noticed this first in others. I’ve noticed that I can share a story, which to me is a beautiful story of forgiveness and learning and spiritual growth/realization, yet not everyone hears the story as I tell it. Some seem to be focused on the pain I seemed to go through as I had the experience. The story stops there for them. They seem to have a belief that pain is real and to be avoided. They come back with comments like, “You shouldn’t let yourself feel that way,” or “You shouldn’t have taken it so hard.” I realize as I hear these comments that for them, my story wasn’t a beautiful story of forgiveness and learning; it was a story of pain.
The same story is heard differently by other ears. After I have shared the story with them, they seem to be encourage me to change my actions. As long as they see the same action continuing within the world, they seem to believe the same thought is in my mind. Because they associate the action with the thought, they believe that I am making a mistake by taking the action. They cannot see that the same action is associated with a different thought within my mind, and so it is not the same for me. This seems to be a confusion between content and form, and judgment is being made based upon form (or what is seen within the world). When the story is looked at in this way, the beauty of forgiveness & learning is also missed, because they are caught looking at the action and judging it based on what that same action meant in the past.
There are others who hear the story that I tell as I tell it. They seem to be able to hear all of the story, without filtering out any parts of the story. And they are deeply grateful as they hear the story, because they understand that we are one. They understand that my healing and learning is also their own. The seeming pain or action is unimportant to them. All that matters is the healing that is occurring within our one mind.
It seems to be a consistent theme of seeing that “others” either can or can’t see because of what they have accepted in their mind. But, I know we are all one tree and we are in constant communication through our one common root Source for the purpose of awakening. So, I know that if I am seeing this common theme demonstrated repeatedly before me, our Source is telling me
that I need to find the filters/beliefs that are blocking my sight. Watchmen ipod I also know that I am ignorant of those filters.
Above all else, I want to see! And in order to see, I am willing to discover and let go of the filters that I currently believe, which prevent me from seeing truly. Knowing that I am ignorant of the filters that block my vision, I realize that I need help to discover them. I give this desire to the Holy Spirit and ask for His help now. Let me be led to discover my own blocks to Love, that I may joyously and gratefully let them go. Amen.