WHAT IS MY PURPOSE HERE?
I began to work with A COURSE IN MIRACLES in 1976 when I was living in New York City. The 3 volumes were a gift from my dear friend Mallie for my birthday in November. As I did a lesson a day, I began to actively ask the question, ‘What is my purpose here?’ It was in the background all of the time.
One morning as I stood at my work table in the design studio on the 27th floor. I had what I can only describe as an enlightening experience. From one moment to the next I was aware of a profound stillness and colours were suddenly more vivid. There was light, so much light, and I heard a voice say, “Your purpose is to heal separation”.
I looked out on the streets of New York and the thousands of people moving about, and I thought, “This is too much to ask, to heal separation between them”. Another moment, reflection, and then gently, I realised that it was not about ‘them’. It was about healing the separation within myself. The realisation has been unfolding in me as a conscious adventure ever since that moment.
MY TASK IS NOT TO HEAL ANYONE ELSE.
My task is to heal my primal decision that I am alone and separate and the thought that I have to do everything all by myself. My task is to embrace the truth that my body is safe no matter how it feels. The energy of fear will nourish my thoughts and manifest separation from whatever or whomever i fear losing. My task is to learn to resolve conflict in myself and to release any fear of my fundamental partner in time and space, my body.
As I have followed that guidance, I have been able to connect more easily to those whom I love. My trainings and workshops are all based in the desire to empower others to create connection with their essential Self. When there is fear of loss and separation foremost in a relationship, there is conflict within and on the outer, and that always produces lack of clarity.
Fear of separation and loss is a self fulfilling prophecy. I believe it is engendered by the way we have been birthing our babies for generations. In the realm of consciousness and the continuity of consciousness, fear of loss is a lie.
FEAR OF SEPARATION AND LOSS IS THE SOURCE OF GREED, FOUNDED IN THE BELIEF THAT ‘THERE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR ME’.
In 1996, Mogens Hogsted wrote a piece for the participants in the Danish Training, known as Din Nye Fodsel (Your New Birth) at that time. The title is CO-OPERATION NOT, COMPETITION. As a successful consulting engineer he was sharing his wise counsel with members of the training who were anticipating setting up counselling and breathwork practices.
In his essay he shared an anecdote given to him by business consultant and motivational teacher, Jonas Himmelstrand, a supervisor in the training: CO-OPERATION, NOT COMPETITION.
A FAMOUS GUITARIST WAS TOLD THAT HE COULD BUY A UNIQUE GUITAR IN A PARTICULAR VILLAGE IN SPAIN.
“He drove there from Madrid and went into the first guitar workshop he saw. The owner showed him his guitars, but they were not very good. As he declined to buy a guitar, the guitarist asked if there were any other guitar workshops in the village. The owner was quick to say that there were no better guitars than his available. The guitarist continued his search. In every workshop the same thing happened, until it was late, and he had to return to Madrid without purchasing a guitar. In truth, not many guitars were sold in the village, and, in general, they were not of excellent quality.
A few years later the guitar makers of the village held a meeting. It was obvious to everyone that business was not going well The youngest of them made the suggestion that they stop competing and share their knowledge with one another. He proposed that they start to cooperate in order to raise the quality of all the guitars, and that they recommend customers to each other. After a very long, and sometimes heated discussion, they all agreed to try the new plan.
Our guitarist returned to the village four or five years later, still in search of a unique guitar. He began in the same workshop as on his previous trip. This time the owner presented good guitars, and one of them was excellent. As he was about to purchase the exceptional one, the owner said, “Before you decide, please, visit some of my colleagues to see if you find a guitar that suits you even better. Come, I will show you the way to the other workshops.”
During his visit to the workshops the famous guitarist found three fine, unique guitars. He was very excited and hurried to telephone a colleague in New York about his good fortune. They agreed that he should buy all three guitars. As a result, the village became more and more well known for excellent guitars. Together the individual guitar makers were making better guitars than before, therefore they and the village profited more than before.”
Read the full article; CO-OPERATION NOT, COMPETITION.
I KNOW NOW THAT THE JOY OF BEING ALIVE IS IN LIVING THE TRUTH OF CO-CREATION.
I want to spend more time collaborating on all levels in this coming year. I have excellent tools for conflict resolution within and on the outer.
Joy is a result of integrating innocence and guilt is a result of a belief in ‘I am alone and separate’. Integrating innocence is the key to the release of the fear of hurting others or having them hurt me.
Innocence can surrender and experience pure joy.
Innocence can express fully and connect deeply.
To support and re-mind myself that in the essence of my Being I am Innocent, I decided to meditate each morning for 10 minutes on the Archetypal Affirmation;
‘I am the innocent daughter of a Gentle Universe.
I deserve to experience all of my Love and Compassion!’
Always aware that affirmations are Great Teachers, I settled into that familiar mantra on the first morning. Very soon this thought resonated from the centre of Being;
WHO WE ARE IS CONSCIOUSNESS THAT CO-CREATES!
BLESSINGS OF LOVE,
Binnie
London, January 2016