Going Deeper

Doing the Inner Work

by Jon Mundy, Ph.D.

  This article is an excerpted and abbreviated section from Chapter 17, of What is Mysticism? The following are “suggestions” only.

  How to do we come to mystical awareness?

  We may come to mystical awareness through crash and burn.

  We may come to the mystical through illness, near death, or some tragedy. Don’t go this way, unless you’ve already done it. Most seekers experience one or more crash and burns during their early development. More people awaken through crash and burn than any other way but it’s not fun. It works, but avoid it if you can. This is an unconscious way of waking up. It works, but the school of hard knocks charges a high price for tuition. When we don’t pay attention, we are sometimes “shaken” awake.

  We may come to mysticism through meditation and contemplation.

  This is a good idea. The Course works, and profoundly so, precisely   because of the 365 meditative lessons in the workbook.

  We may come to mysticism seemingly accidentally, unexpectedly or “out of the blue” – when, for example, we get very relaxed, in nature, in listening to music, in engaging in creative acts, perhaps during sex. Such mystical moments are often passing, fleeting and seemingly “accidental,”  “fortuitous” or “lucky,” so we can’t count on it happening this way.

  The Work: Then there is the slow steady sure way, the way of discipline. The Work consists of regular application of spiritual discipline to

  increase awareness.

Self-discipline begins with the mastery of thought.

We begin by controlling what we think so that we can then control what we do. We learn to think first and act afterward.

  Gurdjieff and Ouspensky called their practice, “the work.” During the late 1970’s, I studied with a mystic in New York City named Eva Perrakos. Eva was a beautiful, vibrant, intensely intelligent woman. She and her husband John Perrakos, M.D., were founders of Bioenergetics -- later, Core Energetics. They called what they did The Path Work. You may know of the teachings of Byron Katie who calls what she does The Work.

You want salvation. You want to be happy.

You want peace. You do not have them now

because your mind is totally undisciplined.

From Lesson 19 of A Course in Miracles

  The Course says our minds are “totally undisciplined.” Totally? In so far as we are not in charge of our minds, as long as we have not turned them totally over to God – they are still undisciplined. William Booth, founder of The Salvation said, “I told God he could have all there was of William Booth.” Total commitment succeeded.

  A Course in Miracles consists of a Workbook, a Textbook and a Teachers Manual. Obviously, we are trying to learn something. The mystic engages in inner transformational work done on oneself. Mysticism is about being awake and responsible for absolutely everything that comes our way.

Enlightenment means taking full responsibility  for your life.
 William Blake

  Working on ourselves requires a willingness to look at the dark places in our own psychic system. This is not always fun but the results are         wonderful. Success in the fulfilling of our destiny, depends on our willingness to practice steps that lead to this realization. When we begin to do this work, we find that as Dr. David Hawkins expresses it: The life of the serious spiritual devotee becomes increasingly orchestrated by the Self rather than the ego/self.

  Travel at Your Own Risk

  Sometimes when you're traveling, you'll see a sign which reads: Travel at your own risk. By posting such signs, the highway department not only warns us to be cautious but also absolves the state of responsibility in case of an accident. If a traveler comes to harm on the road, he cannot bring suit for damages. He is traveling at his own risk. We each have our own lives to live. We are each the masters of our fate, the captains of our souls; and, we must accept responsibility for being here, in this incredible space at this incredible time. The more responsibility we assume, the freer and thus the happier we are. The best way to assume full responsibility is to turn everything over to God.

Enlightenment demands that you take

responsibility for your way of life.
Wayne Dyer, Ph.D.

  Self-Observation, Watching, Witnessing and Willingess

  God is the only goal. We must be vigilant only for things of God and not the self. We begin by “watching the mind.” Watch projection, judgment and defensiveness. In order to have a mystical experience, we must first stop thinking. In order to see, we must first stop projecting. Stopping projection is not like turning off a light switch, though sometimes it can happen like that. Doing the work, engaging in spiritual discipline requires focus, concentration, and patience. The first step -- simply be aware of  projection.

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family,

to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.
Buddha

  Watching the mind is different than identifying with the mind. To watch the mind from a detached position is educational and non-stressful. It can be done with composure and serenity. Once we are “watching,” we are not then “wallowing.” The very fact that we “see” the mind, means we have developed some control over the mind. We are no longer simply reactionary. When some difficulty comes up, it’s a good idea to ask  what is this for? What purpose does it serve; and, how am I to respond? Shall I rely on my old buddies, attack and defense or is there a better way?

Spiritual devotion is a continuous inner lifestyle

that incorporates constant watchful awareness

Dr. David Hawkins

  Bringing Darkness to Light

  It is important that we look at our dark side, least we project our shadow onto others. As long as the shadowy tricks of the ego are acted out, we will suffer.

Again and again have you attacked your brother,

because you saw in him a shadow figure in your private world.

The alertness of the ego to the errors of other egos

 is not the kind of vigilance the Holy Spirit would have you maintain.

A Course in Miracle, Chapter 9 Section III

  Willingness, Practice, and Discipline

  Freedom from ego requires perseverance, alertness, and a willingness to stay awake. It takes willingness to overcome the ego and not to be dragged back into unconsciousness. Once we demonstrate our willingness to face any problem, and be honest about our part in misperception, things change. Truth teachings are demonstrated by anyone who engages in spiritual practices and discipline. Discipline helps us go deeper. Let’s look at some principles that take “practice” deeper. While these principles are not difficult, their application may “seem” difficult. It, thus, takes a “willingness” and “tenacity” to make them come alive.

The one aim of my yoga is an inner self-development by which each one who follows it can in time discover the One Self in all and evolve a higher consciousness than the mental, a spiritual, and supramental consciousness which will transform and divinize human nature.

Sri Aurobindo (1882-1950, India was a Hindu scholar and poet.)

  Watching Out - Tricks of the ego

  If we avoid being seduced by the following tricks, behaviors, actions, and activities, we can take things to a higher level. We’ll then be able to      experience spiritual maturity and the development of mystical awareness.

  The two primary ego defenses are denial and projection.

  To deny is to press in; Freud, thus, called it repression.

  A.    Lying and Hiding

    The first defense we learn to use as children is a form of denial called lying. What is the first thing that Adam does after “his eyes are opened” and

    he is able to distinguish between “good and evil?” He hides in the bushes. Denial is the most subtle and therefore the trickiest of the defenses. It

    is sometimes easier to come to terms with our enemies (projections) than it is with ourselves (denial). Projection is “out there.” It’s “clear” why

    we are mad. We can probably come up with a list of reasons. It’s not always so clear when we are in denial; after all, one of the qualities of

    denial is to deny being in denial. Addicts of all sorts, consistently deny their addiction. We repress what we don’t want to look at. It isn’t       

    necessary to hang our dirty laundry out for the world to see. That would not be pleasant or helpful for the world or ourselves. Being truthful and

    honest, however, means being willing to take responsibility right now! Tell the truth right now! Tell the truth as fast as you can!

  The hero or heroine is called to go into the cave of unconsciousness and bring what is hidden out to the light. Watch carefully -- be very honest. Lying separates us from others; and it causes depression. As Alcoholic Anonymous says, “We are as sick as our secrets.” What we hide is nothing, but we do not know that as long as we “cherish” secret sins and hidden hates. Mysticism means awakening to the light. If we knew the light, we would be in the light and know nothing but light. We know more about darkness than light because that is where we hide. Engaging in spiritual discipline means becoming increasingly vigilant against the deceptions of the ego. It is not enough to watch and witness, let’s go further by recognizing our part in the dreaming of the world. Relinquish the role as guardian of the ego thought system. According to the Course, to escape from darkness involves two steps:

     1.  Know that darkness cannot hide. 

     2.  There is nothing you want to hide even if you could. This thought brings freedom.

  When we are willing to hide nothing, we enter into communication, peace, and joy. What then should we do with our darkness? Know that:

  1. It is not necessary to be right.

       It’s actually often more refreshing to be wrong. If we admit that we’re wrong, we’re being honest. Speak the truth and take a deep breath.

  2. Taking secret sins and hidden hates to the Holy Spirit.

      This means, being honest with ourselves.

  3. Take it to a comrade, companion, loving friend, therapist or fellow student. Catharsis, getting it out, can be most refreshing.

      Did you ever notice how nice it feels when you stop throwing up? 

  Alcoholics Anonymous works because people are given permission to say, “I’m an alcoholic” in a warm, trusting, and accepting environment. Tell your mate, who already knows it, that you are an “egoacholic” and she/he might find that refreshing. Openness is always refreshing. Hiding is literally life-threatening.

  Do I really need to go there?

  When temptation arises to lie about even small things, an exaggeration perhaps, some embellishment or overstatement about how hard we work or how much money we spent, ask, “Do I really need to go there?” When asked a question answer as truthfully as possibly. Jesus in the gospels, says we should let all of our answers be “yes,” and “no,” everything else comes from evil. Everything else involves some form of “elaboration,” or “embellishment.” Why do we sometimes say, “I’ll be honest with you?” Does that mean the rest of the time we are not being honest? It’s important to feel clean. The soul, by nature, loves cleanliness. Cleanliness makes Heaven look beautiful. There are then no dark spots or hidden places in heaven. Conscience is clear and we are free of the fear of hurting  anyone.

    B. Watch Judgment

         We’ve been judging all our lives and we can’t just stop judgment. First, just watch judgment happening – without saying anything.  Not judging

         does not mean – not making simple judgments. “Am I having eggs or oatmeal for breakfast or what am I going to wear?” What we’re going to wear

        doesn’t make much difference unless we’re into power dressing or sexy dressing, in which case, we are trying to manipulate the universe. Dress for

        comfort and utility. Our concern is not over these simple things, our concern is with judgments which involve condemnation, criticism, and

        blame. Just observe without comment to another or to ourselves. Try fasting from judging. Just let it go. Just walk away. When judgment comes up

        – think more than twice before speaking.

Look at the world without adding anything to it.

    C. Watch Complaining

         Blackman goes to a psychiatrist. He says, "Doc, I have this terrible feeling that everybody's trying to take advantage of me." The psychiatrist says,

        "Relax, Mr. Blackman It’s a common thing. Everybody thinks that people are trying to take advantage of them." Blackman says, "Is that true Doc?

         It is such a relief to know that. Thank you. How much do I owe you?" The psychiatrist says: "How much have you got?"

  When country singer, Hank Williams (1923-1953) USA was asked where he got such good ideas for his songs, he said, “Everybody feels good about feeling bad.” Most country western songs are sad “somebody done done me wrong songs.” The ego enjoys being mistreated, abandoned, and      betrayed. It is proof that we are innocent victims of what other people (the world) has done to us. We can then feel “justified” in our attacks against others.

  Story Time

  A little boy wrote a story for his mother and gave it to her. The mother took the story and, noticing a mistake in grammar; she got a pen and fixed it. She noticed another error and still another error. Finally, she finished fixing the paper and gave it back to her little boy, who was in tears and he said, “I didn’t want you to fix it; I wanted you to like it.”

Refuse to be a part of fearful dreams,

whatever form they take, for you will lose identity in them.

A Course in Miracles

    D. Watch for Anger and Attack Thoughts.

   A student asked Zen Master Bankei “How can I cure my terrible temper?” “Show it to me,” said Bankei, “I can’t just show it to you like that

   because it comes on unexpectedly,” explained the student. Bankei replied, “Then it is not your true nature. If it were, it would be with you at all

   times.” Attack cannot occur without judgment and anger is never justified. The word here is "never" not "sometimes." It does not mean we should

   never get angry; it just means if we do, something has gone wrong in our thinking somewhere and we need another way to see things. Attack in any

   form is "always" a mistake.

  1. Physical attack is an obvious mistake.

      Only someone possessed by ego could think that physical assault could result in their achieving what they want. If you attack someone physically, you go to jail. War is never the answer!

  2. Verbal attack is a mistake.

      We may get this strange idea that if we really tell someone off good once and for all, they will get it and shape up. It never happens! It never happens because we’re attacking another ego and they are going to perceive the attack not as “constructive criticism,” but as an attack; and, they will attack back in their minds even if they don’t do it verbally or physically.

  3. Mental attack is also a mistake.

We have much more control over our minds than we think we do. Our task is to bring the mind in line with God’s mind. If I have a splinter in my finger and it is hurting me. I will “pluck” it out and throw it away. If a thought is hurting the mind, take it out and throw it away. Do not deny it or stuff it! Just “let it go.” Any   hurtful unforgiving thought in the mind hurts only one person and you know who that is.

If you perceive offense in a brother pluck the offense from your mind.

A Course in Miracles

    E. Watch for Defensiveness

   If someone walks up to you on the street and starts attacking your body, do everything in your power to stop them, for three reasons.

   1. You still believe you are a body.

 Proof of that fact is that you are hanging out in one. As long as you are hanging out in a body, you will believe that it can be hurt. You would not

 want your body to be hurt or disabled, so you would do whatever you could to stop someone from hurting it.

   2. Do not facilitate error in a brother.

       You would not want to help someone make a mistake. If you let somebody beat you up, you are accessory to a crime. You would not want to

        be an accessory to a crime.

  3. We are not called upon to be martyrs.

      To say do not defend means don't defend the silly ego. It is “just” a silly ego and it is not who we are. Jesus is standing in front of Pontius Pilate. Pilate says to him, “Do you not hear all the accusations made against you? Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” And, he does not. If Jesus had come back at Pontius Pilate with, “Yes, I really am the Son of God and you’re making a big mistake here,” we might have questioned whether or not he was the Son of God.

    F.  Listen Very Carefully!

We have two ears and one mouth,

 so we should listen more than we talk.

Zeno

    Zeno (333 B.C.-264 B.C.) a Greek Stoic, said there was no power greater than the mind. People who adopted the Stoic philosophy endure life’s vicissitudes with calm and dignity. Stoicism teaches self-control, flexibility, objectivity and freedom from negative and selfish emotions.

  What should we do if someone has a criticism of us? Listen! Listen very carefully! Ask “why is this person  saying this? Are they absolutely crazy? Are they totally out of their minds? Or, is there maybe some tiny piece of “truth” in there that needs to be looked at. Maybe there is something I need to see. I can get angry and defensive. I can listen and see if maybe there is something I can do to make things better. A man who worked in construction in Alaska told me that he had been an alcoholic. One day when he was once again late for work; his boss started chewing him out. He was about to let the boss have it when he heard, “Shut up and Listen!” Holy Spirit gets through to each of us on our own level. He shut up,      listened, later that day joined AA, and still later became the foreman.

  In Summary

  Spiritual development entails discipline. This need not be onerous or  difficult. In fact, once begun it becomes much easier than trying to live by the dictates of the ego.

  Begin by watching the mind, watch thoughts – see which way they go.

  The two primary forms of ego defenses are denial and projections.

  The primary form of denial is lying – be very conscious about any temptation to lie about anything even exaggerations and elaborations.

  Watch the tendency to fall into judgment manifested as complaining. Catch yourself complaining and stop it, catch yourself complaining, stop it. Catch yourself complaining – stop it. Before long it will become automatic and you won’t have to stop yourself because you won’t be complaining.

  Watch out for all anger and attack thoughts.

  Watch out for all defensiveness.

  And Listen Very Carefully!

  Peace,