Anthony J. Fisichella...
Choiceless Awareness Part 2
Nothing has a value over and above anything else. No person, no place, no thing, and no event is more important or less important than any other. Life is no more important than death, and both are resolved in God. Furthermore, nothing that happens to any of us has any intrinsic value; it attains its meaning and importance by arbitrary assignment. Any and every event in time and space is meaningless of itself. It derives its meaning from the participants and observers. If you think something is important, by virtue of this evaluation it is important to you. If you think it unimportant, by the same rule of thumb, it is unimportant to you. In other words, it is not what happens that is significant, it is the manner in which you react to the happening that is of moment to you. It is all a question of perspective.
For example, when I encounter a person or circumstance that in some measure affects me adversely, I remind myself that the occurrence gains its significance from me. My self-conditioned reflex is to ask myself, “What is there in me that has reacted in this manner?” not “What the hell is the matter with him or her?” If you wish further insight into yourself, use this simple technique and listen carefully to your inner response. What is there within you that has responded to the event with anger, fear, or whatever your given reaction? We are back to self-realization, aren’t we? It is ever the name of the game. What happens in your life is meaningless; only your reaction to it is significant to you.
A number of years ago I was offered the exciting and challenging opportunity to chair an international conference on the esoteric sciences to be held in New York. As part of the conference program, it was my wish to have Ram Dass as a keynote speaker, and, accordingly, I extended him an invitation. Much to my dismay, he refused on the grounds that he would have nothing to do with any project in any way associated with the conference’s founder, who shall remain nameless. Let us simply call him Mr. X.
I pleaded, cajoled, and tried to manipulate Ram Dass into changing his position with the argument that this conference would be of great value and service to the public, but to no avail. He held firmly to his position asserting that he would not add his energies to those of Mr. X, whose integrity he held suspect.
Shaking off my disappointment, I proceeded to organize, publicize, and direct the operation of the conference for a period of one full year while simultaneously engaged in a perpetual running battle with Mr. X over differences in policy, principles, and overall ideology. It would serve no constructive purpose to outline the specifics of that year of challenge except to point out that by its conclusion I was in the unenviable position of having been extorted of thousands of dollars by this wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Some weeks later, I found myself seated in front of Ram Dass outlining the frustrating details of my then-concluded debacle with Mr. X, bemoaning how badly I had been treated. For better than thirty minutes he sat quietly listening, not uttering so much as a word, permitting me to play out my self-pity trip. I was really caught in a “woe is me” syndrome.
At the conclusion of my soap opera scenario, he leaned forward, looked me straight in the eye and asked with deliberate emphasis, “How does an aware being get taken like that?”
His response to my tale of woe was totally unexpected and hit me right between the eyes with blockbuster intensity. I was looking for a response more in line with, “Oh, you poor guy,” or “How horrible for you,” followed by some comment like “Isn’t Mr. X despicable?” Being familiar with Ram Dass’ work, I should have known better. And that’s precisely the point, I should have known better. I should have been more aware. Ram Dass had seen and clearly diagnosed the larcenous nature latent within Mr. X and the potential danger of the situation. He had not condemned the man, simply recognized his nature and avoided him. You don’t condemn the predatory nature of the tiger, simply refuse to enter the cage with him. But, first you must be aware.
I, on the other hand, blinded by my desire to further my career as a lecturer and intent upon becoming a strong and vital creative force in the metaphysical community, was not seeing clearly at all. That’s the problem with having goals, desires, and vested interests; they distort and color our perspective of existence. I wanted that chairmanship so badly I couldn’t see beyond it.
Ram Dass had also diagnosed my situation properly and placed the burden of responsibility for my plight squarely upon my shoulders. “How does an aware being get taken like that?” How, indeed.
Thank you, Ram Dass, for reminding me.
As for Mr. X, I shall be eternally grateful for the lessons I learned during our encounter. I look upon our encounter as a necessary growth experience, and so it is. Bless you, Mr. X., wherever you are!
To reiterate: there are no absolute values. It is your consciousness that says good or evil, right or wrong, beautiful or ugly, valuable or valueless, or important or unimportant (unless you have relinquished that right to some group, individual, or sacred text). Even in the field of esotericism there are far too many textbook disciples who endeavor to live in accordance with the standards set by some author or spiritual authority. You can’t live a spiritual life by the book, only from the heart and soul. As Thoreau suggested, “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”
Take responsibility for and be true to your own value system; be ever alert for signs from within, that growth has demanded change and then act accordingly.
“Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7). Challenge Life, nature, and even God Himself and He will bless you with renewed awareness and understanding. Eons ago you met Life’s challenge and ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge and gained that essential ego-centered sense of self that established you as a member in good standing of the Fourth Kingdom of Nature.
Now the time is ripe for many of you to eat of the Tree of Life, transcend your personality, encounter your Soul, and enter unto Life eternal. The cyclic process that has carried you to this point shall be our next topic of investigation. “There is a cyclic, never varying law of nature acting on a uniform plan that deals with the land-worm as it deals with a man” (H. P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine). It is this law of cyclic activity that has accompanied the monad in its long journey through the various Kingdoms of Nature - from brute to man to demigod.
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