Into a New Year ~ Manifesting Authentically

[The transmission of Risen information into limited, written human language often appears dense and perplexing to grasp because it is highly compressed information. It is suggested that one reads each sentence slowly and carefully, and perhaps several times—especially passages that seem to resist the understanding. Many readers of the Risen material have shared that with each re-reading, more is revealed to the listening spirit inside. The Risen refer to this as “worlds within worlds.”]

 

“To relinquish the fear of death
 is the ultimate act of self-forgiveness.”
~ A Risen One ~

The question has been asked, “Do the Risen have anything to say about what we need to do to manifest an authentic human life?”

The Risen are those who were once terrestrial humans, but have attained—or ascended—a particular “geography of wakefulness” which is best described by the term “Risen Authentic Self,” or more simply, Risen. The Risen, who are no longer human in the way most of us believe ourselves to presently be, say that they cannot provide carved-in-stone definitions of an authentic human life. They suggest that “Know Thyself” is the open-ended answer for all sentient beings. This particular answer emerges only as truth reveals itself through one’s individualized Self of Authorship, and that Self’s various states of ever-emerging awareness.

At its utmost, “Know Thyself” means that each one of us authors, authenticates, and authorizes one’s Self. Can one truly comprehend the implication of such an omnipotent action of total, authorized authorship—and then fully accept it? The Risen ask each of us to consider the possibility of doing this now, rather than later.

Authentic Self will inevitably recognize the feeling of Its truth in Its various states, thereby recognizing Itself as an immortal individualization as It transitions inwardly from any felt point, ever onward (more about this point of feeling later on.)

On Earth, terrestrial Nature provides only for cycling and recycling—around and around, evolving—or mutating—only enough to sustain and replenish in ways that are least resistant. This circular movement through time can be seen as a spiral, and humanity is a spiraling part of Nature—it is, in fact, inextricable from it.

At the beginning of their book, the Risen ask us to …

 … contemplate a spiral as we journey through this book. The spiral is an ancient emblem of life, transcendence, and eternity, running deep through all earthly cultures. It is revealed as a living symbol throughout Nature—in pinecones, the petals and seed heads of flowers, the arrangement of leaves on a stem; water spinning in a whirlpool, the shell of a snail, the winds circling the earth; the horns of a goat, the coils of a snake, and even a head of cauliflower. Stars, galaxies, and people dance in waves of living spirals. Spirals are found throughout your body—in the proportions of its components, in your fingerprints, in the movement of the blood as it travels through the body, and in the pattern of the hair on your heads. The very strands of your DNA intertwine in an animated spiral.
Life is also a spiral—a sacred relationship of matter, time, and space that leads to a continual transcendence of them. Life’s presence and actions are its own evidence—of itself and of its immortality. The center of life’s spiral is the center of the Self as it moves through eternity, never the same at any moment, yet never losing the essential spirit of its Origin. Life is the Original Spirit.
The spiral often seems to be a maze, an icon of the life journey of a human being, seemingly struggling alone along an unknown path, while trying to discover its center. Many of you will spend a lifetime worrying about whether you are journeying toward or away from the center.
For those who are still earth-embodied, your spiral path will change. In fact, it simply cannot exist without change, for the spiral of all life is a process. Upon your transition to places of existence beyond your planet, your journey will transmute into a new and more intensely living motif. You will each begin this transition in your own unique way, and then you will awaken as a Risen One into a new world.

A very long time ago, Nature brought humankind as far as it could upon the Earth, to where we became conscious, self-aware beings—primitive yet intelligent ego-mental selves. Humanity cannot rely on Nature to take us any further, and each must now use one’s own individual consciousness to provide the movement that will awaken and sustain Authentic Selfness beyond ego-self-awareness. Alas, most of us choose to continue to sleep in the primitive safety of Mother Nature's arms, unaware that there is much more beyond them awaiting our jubilant exploration. Although there is no harm in this sleep of non-action, nor any judgment weighed against us for it, there will not be another chance to ascend—or rise—until we make our transition from a terrestrial existence to a non-terrestrial existence. We can only, and always, begin from wherever we are.

Nature does not provide the ways and means for mutating away from its spiral—or transmutation—other than when it is forced to relinquish its terrestrial hold on a human spirit, which is then released into a non-terrestrial dimension by way of a kind of “spiritual centrifugal force.” And although the spiritual body is redirected in this way, the trajectory of the ascending journey depends upon the development of the spirit, which may resume its spiral way of existence in the new dimension, very much as it did on the Earth, and with very little or no change on a cosmic scale. If we were dependent upon our ego-mind—by ignorance or by choice—we will likely be quite lost without it, because the ego-mind does not survive the transition. It knows this, too, and this is why those of us who identify with our ego-mind are afraid of death. Those who are unidentified are unafraid, and so are resting peacefully as Authentic Self. This total lack of fear is a rather agreeable attitude to present to the question.

The definition of “convoluted” is “curled or wound, especially in concentric rings or spirals, like a leaf curled in upon itself, or enfolded.” It also has the meaning of being vague about something in order to mislead or deceive. Nature is continuously enfolding like a leaf, drawing all the elements back into itself. This convolution can be seen as misleading us in order to preserve itself. It has been perceived by most modern humans as a selective process for the survival of the fittest. However, it can also be perceived as the selective process for the best food, which is all that humanity’s bodies will ever be to Nature.

And so now we finally come to the best possible approach to the question, in spite of the labyrinthine convolutions upon which you were just led. Such maze-like logic is necessary in order to be released from the repetitive, hypnotic centripetal force of Nature, which otherwise forces us to follow its own logical path of cycle and recycle. To break free of this force, to first unfold from and then leave this “wheel of existence” before the centrifugal release of the spirit, is usually difficult and often painful. Although joyful surrender will do the trick just as well, if not better.

Let us now re-ask the question in this way: “What are the qualities of Authentic Self?” The simplest and yet also aggravating answer is that if such labels could be found and described here, the ego-mind would attempt to simulate them into personality traits, which the unaware reader would then pretend to have. This is a Risen way of utilizing our tendency to prefer seriousness over humor. In other words, they are joking, to better suggest truth.

At the beginning of this wordy journey, we suggested that at Its core, Authentic Self will inevitably recognize the feeling of Its truth in its various states, thereby recognizing Itself as an immortal individualization while transitioning inwardly from any felt point, ever onward.

What is this point, this feeling of truth? It is inner peace felt at our core, our center where we always are. As a psychotherapist for many years, I have watched so many people struggle with trying to locate their core of peace, as if it was something they lost or never had, not understanding that each of us is the location, and that it is within, not outside. They worry because they aren’t experiencing peace in the outer world, while failing to recognize that they already are the place of peace which is within them. Outer peace manifests as a result of first dwelling in inner peace. As the Risen noted earlier, such troubled individuals may spend an entire lifetime worrying whether they are journeying toward or away from their center core. But there is no toward, no away, and they haven’t lost it—their awareness of it merely got covered over and hidden by all the “symptoms” their convoluted ego-minds are so insistent upon having and focusing on to cause misdirection, by generating worry. The Risen said this about worry in their book:

“The only place to be is where you are—the present. This ancient fragment of mislaid information is one of the most important aspects of human spirituality to re-emerge in the early twentieth century. Many are now familiar with the notions of ‘be here now’ and ‘don’t worry, be happy.’ These concepts have been clearly held before you from every spiritual worldview for many thousands of years, such as the Bible’s suggestion to ‘consider the lilies of the field.’  Now, just inside the gates of the twenty-first century, you are beginning to return to the understanding that you are the lilies of the field. There is also increasing awareness by scientists and non-scientists that eventually we will come to consciously experience that we are the field as well.”

Ego-mind can only project—rather than manifest—a temporary, inauthentic outer world of worry around us. Awakened Authentic Self, while outwardly aware of the meaningless aspects of the projected world around it, remains inwardly undisturbed in its authentic place of peace. Authentic Self does not necessarily seek meaning, although it can assign it if it chooses. Authentic Self does not think or have thoughts. It observes them as they arise from the ego-mind, which is contained within the infinite space of Mind.

Authentic Self can manifest—rather than project—a temporary outer world of peace. When the feeling of Authentic Self has awakened, all thoughts can be observed, accepted, rejected, allowed to project, put on hold, brightened, dimmed, or dissolved from a consciously aware stance.

Ego-mind reacts from its fear-based thinking; Authentic Self responds from perpetually peaceful, non-thoughtful wakefulness. But until Authentic Self awakens, the ego-mind is in complete control of any rising thoughts.

Many of us are still enfolded in the convoluted rationalizing of the ego-mind, and so are disconnected from our feelings, unable to recognize and experience the feeling of “the peace that passeth all understanding.” Here, “understanding” means the ego-mind’s rationale. Because we still rationalize in terms of symptoms—i.e., worry—perhaps we might more easily recognize some “symptoms of inner peace” from a list compiled by author Saskia Davis, who was obviously Risen-inspired.

Symptoms of Inner Peace

–  A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.

–  An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

–  A loss of interest in judging other people.

–  A loss of interest in judging self.

–  A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

–  A loss of interest in conflict.

–  A loss of ability to worry.

–  Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

–  Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.

–  Frequent attacks of smiling.

–  An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

–  An increased susceptibility to love extended by others and the uncontrollable urge to extend it.
(©1984 Saskia Davis ~ reprinted with very kind permission by the author)

Toward the end of their book, the Risen have this to say about cycles:

“Ouroboros, the serpent with its tail in its mouth, is a pan-mythical symbol of time and the continuity of life. An alchemical sign of completeness, it depicts the Alpha and the Omega—eternal life. Ouroboros contains the idea of cycles, of returning to one’s self through one’s self. It suggests birth within death’s jaws—doors opening. It also intimates death within birth’s jaws—doors closing. It is life emerging out of death, then emerging out of life, year after year, over and over, seemingly without end.

“But does it ever end?

“Yes, say the Risen, for cycles aren’t forever. Each and every cycle is a beginning and yet also part of a greater cycle, the vast spiral of movement of an individualized immortal soul through space and through time—and then beyond time and space.

“This movement never ceases.”

The Risen would like to clarify that as Authentic Self, we are not the movement but the observers, whose observation manifests an experience of movement. Authentic Self never ceases, and this “ceaselessness” or “unceasing” is actually non-movement—a place of being at peace, at total rest. If we are identifying with movement—which is ok—it is helpful to be aware that the movement is not who we are. In some dimensions it seems to be where we are; in others, it seems to be when we are. And although sometimes we may not remember who, where, or when we are, we will never forget that we are, which is the way toward manifesting an authentic human life.

[© 2014 August Goforth. This monograph may be freely copied in whole or in part without permission, but with acknowledgement of authorship.]