by James Strohl | Dec 14, 2021 | Papers
Miracles Magazine, July-August, 2021, pp.44-46.
Giving and receiving are one. There is no receiving without a giver. Also, there is no giving without a receiver. They are one and the same. They are one truth, one reality.
Clearly, giving cannot occur unless something is given to one who receives. Also, there can be no receiver without a giver. Therefore, giving requires the simultaneous presence of a receiver. Since neither giving or receiving can occur in isolation, i.e., as independent entities, then they must be one and the same, i.e., one truth, one reality.
Giving and receiving are not separate entities or elements of interaction, but rather one simultaneous occurrence or happening. One cannot happen before or after the other. If one happened before the other it would have to be something other than giving or receiving since they both must always exist simultaneously. Since they must always occur together, in realty, this makes them one.
Because one cannot exist without the other, there cannot be a time delay whatsoever between giving and receiving. Giving or receiving cannot exist if there is a time delay between them. They are one and both must be simultaneously present for the phenomena of giving and receiving to manifest.
This idea that giving and receiving can only happen if both are occurring at the same time can be generalized to other life experiences. This understanding can be applied to the reconciliation of all apparent opposites. It can be generalized to all life experiences that appear to be dualistic in nature, including the apparent appearance of cause and effect.
Love is an excellent example of this phenomenon. Love is actually an interaction. Love is not Love unless is it shared. Clearly, Love cannot be shared if it is not present. However, it cannot be present if it is not shared.
Also, Love cannot be shared unless there is a recipient. Therefore, for Love to exist it must be shared with someone or something. Without a receiver love is not shared and therefore it is not love. The giving and receiving of Love must be a simultaneous happening in order for Love to be Love.
Consequently, we know that Love is shared but never given away as it might appear to be in a dualistic sense. Love is necessarily the simultaneous experience of being itself and sharing itself or it cannot be Love. This is why it is frequently stated that “when love is shared with others it is always returned back to the sender.” This is a dualistic example of the recognition that giving and receiving are one. This is not only true in Love but also in all forms of giving, as well as in all apparent manifestations of cause and effect.
I cannot share what I do not have. Therefore, if I am sharing Love I must, at the same time, be
Love. But I cannot be Love if it is not being shared. Accordingly, for the receiver to experience Love they must also be Love.
In truth, Love is always present everywhere. Since God is Love and all existence is an expression of God’s Love, then the oneness of giving and receiving is omnipresent and unchanging. Our main goal in life and, for that matter, our greatest challenge is to recognize this as the deepest reality of the universe.
In summary, for Love to exist it must be shared – giving and receiving are truly one. Love’s reality is based on the principle of oneness in which cause and effect are known as simultaneous realities.
-Jim Strohl
by James Strohl | Nov 2, 2020 | Writings
Based on our human nature, as we engage the physical world it is natural to become worried and frightened. It is from these feelings that evaluation and judgment arise. Eventually these reactions give way to side-taking, guilt, blame and attack.
What or who can save us from these relentless unsettling experiences and reactions? Where do we find lasting safety, security, peace and harmony? The answer lies with that part of us that has the capacity to make choices. We can choose to either remain attached to our conditioned human reactions or we can choose to embrace our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions with love and compassion.
Being kind, compassionate and loving toward the spontaneous, programmed human reactions and responses occurring in ourselves and others means we have transcended our unconscious attachment to the human condition and accessed a deeper reality of our being. This open-hearted level of functioning offers entirely new, broader perspectives along with more positive, constructive behavioral patterns. This level of existence is the fundamental essence of our being and True Nature which is infinitely gentle, kind, respectful and loving toward all that exists.
Embodying this deeper, fundamental part of our being allows us to more readily recognize and lovingly embrace the innocent, mistaken perceptions of separation, judgment and conflict associated with human, ego-based conditioning. Furthermore, from this deeper, broader perspective we realize that our perceptions of the external world are determined by the character of our internal reality. By accessing the innocent, compassion of the open heart of our True Nature we readily forgive our self-critical behaviors as well as our grievances toward others.
When intentionally and persistently accessing this level of existence our awareness of the faulty perceptions of our internal and external worlds increases and an expanded love for all life become more dramatically instilled in our consciousness. Eventually, an organic, spontaneous expression of compassion and respect for ourselves and others becomes the new norm, resulting in greater freedom, peace and happiness for all.
by James Strohl | Nov 2, 2020 | Writings
The infinite knowledge and wisdom of our “true self” is revealed when we surrender the egoic mind that pretends to know so much. Most egoic thoughts are conditioned responses based on programming. By stepping back to observe and question those thoughts their lack of validity will be revealed.
The ego is very tricky and it doesn’t readily admit that it “doesn’t know.” However, every one of us possesses the free will to question our thoughts, decide what is true, and choose appropriate responses. This ability to observe and evaluate our programmed thoughts comes from another part of our mind that is intelligent and rational. This aspect of the mind can be called “higher mind” or “true self.”
Life is a great mystery and we actually know much less about the past, present and future than our egoic thinking mind would have us believe. Surrendering the ego’s sense of knowing will unleash the deeper knowledge and intelligence inside of us. This inner wisdom guides our lives in exquisite ways while revealing the endless depths of the true self and eventually divulging that the source of our inner wisdom is love.
Taking time to observe and then question our thoughts is the necessary first step. Our thoughts can be readily evaluated by asking questions like, “Is this absolutely true?” and “Do I know that for sure?” By doing this we will recognize how many of our thoughts are not really needed and that most of them are not true and therefore cannot be trusted. The ego relentlessly offers assumptions, hypotheses, conjecture, and opinions which has little to do with the objective truth of the reality at hand.
At this time, much of the world is experiencing an increased manifestation of confusion, chaos, and turmoil which serves to heighten the ego’s need to know what is happening and why. It is important to remember that the ego’s perspective is typically highly speculative and theoretical. The ego pretends to know “what is happening in the world”, “why things are happening”, “the solution to the world’s problems” and “how things should work out.” Just a bit of reflection and investigation plainly reveals the incredible arrogance of the ego-mind in believing that it understands, much less controls, a world of infinite variety and complexity.
Self-inquiry exposes how much we don’t know as well as the extreme prevalence of false believes and assumptions manufactured in our conditioned mind. For goodness sake, we don’t even have control over what our next thoughts will be, and we certainly don’t have control of the outcome of our intentions and behaviors.
The truth of reality is only known through direct experience and not through thoughts about reality. When experiencing the world through the lens of the “true self”, we accept things exactly as they appear in the here-and-now. From this perspective we surrender our need to know and simply trust that we will know exactly what we need to know at the precise time it needs to be known. When thoroughly trusting the moment-to-moment unfolding of all experiences, without believing the ego’s ongoing narrative, we feel more real and an endless depth of intimacy, relevance, and meaning emerges in relation to ourselves, others, and the entire universe.
by James Strohl | Nov 2, 2020 | Writings
Each one of us has an internal support system that is infinitely wise and helpful for guiding our lives. In order to establish an effective relationship with this inner network we must learn to slow down, turn inward, pause, and listen for the subtle messages it is sharing on an ongoing basis for our personal benefit as well as the benefit of others.
This wise, internal element of our being is known by many names including Higher Self, Holy Spirit, Inner Being, Greater Self, Multidimensional Self, True Self and Soul. It is an unwavering source of healing, guidance, inspiration and joy. Its nature is to be very patient while persistently sharing its messages in a soft, gentle, compassionate manner which is a distinct contrast to the loud, forceful, impatient, pressure that is imparted by the thinking mind and the needs and desires of the ego.
The essence of this aspect of our being is Unconditional Love which includes the innate knowing that wholeness, peace and happiness are the basis of our True Nature as well as the Essential Nature of the entire universe. It is able to be unfailingly patient and gentle because it knows that every living being will eventually remember its True Nature and recapture a direct experience of eternal wholeness, peace, love, and freedom. When and how we’ll find our way back to the wholeness of our True Nature is left up to us. The Unconditional Love of our Inner Being supports our right to create our own experiences and to accomplish our inevitable return “home” in our own unique way.
The messages arising from our Inner Being are received in diverse ways by different individuals and they can sometimes perceptually change for the same individual. These messages might be perceived internally as thoughts, images, spoken words, direct knowing, sensations, emotions, and felt sensings or appear as messages received through externally manifested phenomenal experiences. With practice, we can learn to better access, interpret, and utilize the wisdom and guidance offered by our Inner Being.
Refining our communication with Inner Being includes developing a reasonable amount of discernment and skepticism regarding the messages we receive. We certainly do not want to disrupt our ability to receive the communication by being overly skeptical. However, we also do not want to be so gullible that we expose ourselves to being manipulated and managed by outside influences that are not in our best interest.
Healthy discernment is accomplished by dropping our attention inside ourselves to check if our personal feeling tones and felt sense about the communication is thoroughly inviting, flowing smoothly and completely positive. In other words, does it feel right and make sense in the deepest, most subtle ways? If our feeling tones do not provide a clear affirmative “yes” feeling about a message it is a clear indication that that message is not resonating with our deepest needs and best interests at that time. It is important to practice this skill of inner sensing on a regular basis in order to refine our sensitivity to the subtle nuances of our inner awareness regarding what does and doesn’t fit affirmatively with our overall being.
Taking full responsibility for turning our attention inward and refining our ability to remain open and aware of the subtle nuances of the vibrational frequencies related to all our relationships, experiences and situations is imperative for healthy, effective living. Behaving this way is a sign of deep maturity and refinement of being. It is an effective and efficient way to not only proceed toward a happier more meaningful life but also to eventually reach the ultimate goal of eternal peace, freedom, and joy.
January 25, 2020
by James Strohl | Nov 1, 2020 | Writings
Miracles Magazine, May/June 2020, pp. 445-48.
Most people recognize the value of effectively handling emotional reactions to life. It is well documented that avoiding, suppressing, and controlling emotions can create a myriad of psychological, behavioral, and physical difficulties. We also know that to live a healthy, balanced existence requires the ability to fully experience and constructively express emotions on a regular basis.
Despite the ample research showing that effectively addressing emotions is one of the greatest deterrents to psychological disturbance and interpersonal conflict, few people know how to effectively address emotions. It is quite astonishing that these skills are not commonly discussed and taught in our society despite the huge effect they have on our daily living.
Developing an effective method of addressing emotions is imperative for individual happiness and satisfying interpersonal relationships, as well as for the civility of society at large. While many people know it is not advisable to avoid, suppress and control emotions, few realize that it is also not helpful to apply effort or “do” something with emotions. Even the intentional acts of “releasing” emotions or “letting them go” are subtle forms of applying effort and doing something.
Ideally, we want to effortlessly observe thoughts and emotions while simultaneously allowing them to arise, express themselves, and leave our perceptual fields in any way they wish. Emotions can be trusted to express themselves productively and constructively when we let them enter, perform, transform, and exit our presence in any manner and in any time period they desire. When we fully honor the deepest truth and reality of our emotions they will always guide us to express them wisely and respectfully. Attempts to do something with emotions or having a purpose or goal associated with our experiencing of them will simply interfere with the unique, dynamic, organic expression of the emotions and all that they might reveal to us.
It is easier to allow emotions to be whatever they wish to be and do whatever they wish to do when we understand that they are not accidents but messengers from the universe that we have either consciously or unconsciously invited to visit. Knowing this, they can be viewed as being similar to invited guests arriving at the front door of our homes. Politely welcome them in and engage them in a receptive, respectful, intimate manner. Listen to them cognitively, emotionally, sensually, and energetically in order to fully absorb the unique experiences they have come to offer us. We’ll benefit from following the general rule that we learn more by listening then by talking and acting.
Our attempts to manage and control personal thoughts and emotions is as disrespectful and destructive as it is to behaviorally manage and manipulate another person. In fact, it is probably more detrimental since most of us are routinely disregarding and disrespecting our personal thoughts and emotions on an unconscious level. No one likes to be managed, controlled, manipulated, avoided, or criticized by another person. These behaviors are clearly destructive and disrupt the development of healthy, productive, pleasurable, and growthful interpersonal relationships. Similar negative results are experienced intrapersonally when we respond in unsupportive ways to our internal thoughts and emotions.
Life unfolds organically without any effort on our part. It does so spontaneously without any need whatsoever for our intentions, plans, or actions to make it happen. Clearly our judgments, evaluations, and analyses are after the fact and have no direct bearing on the experiences that have already unfolded. As much as we’d like to think differently, it is obvious that no matter how strong our intentions and how much effort we exert we do not dictate and control the outcomes of events.
Whether or not we realize it, life always unfolds in a perfect, productive manner based on a deeper level of intelligence and wisdom than we can possibly perceive with our thinking mind. Everything that happens is happening for a valid reason and is providing all objects and people with exactly the perfect experience needed at that time. The essential nature of the universe is an infinitely complex, matrix of Creative Intelligence extending and expressing itself in ways far beyond anything we can imagine. It is extremely arrogant to believe that the limited knowledge and power we possess as an individual, separate being can begin to understand, much less rival, the expansive knowledge, wisdom, and power of the Source of all creation.
The fundamental nature of our ego personality is fragility, instability, and fearfulness arising out of its sense of separation from the wholeness and peace associated with the Source and Essence of the universe. Therefore, our ego-based functioning lacks faith and trust and, out of fear, tries to dominate and control a world that, in all actuality, is the perfect, organic expression of the deepest intelligence and wisdom possible.
A true sense of personal freedom and peace of mind can only be achieved by giving up our efforts to manage and control life. A wise mystic once said, “all human suffering is a result of people fighting with life.” What is required is submission and not self-indulgent efforts to override the ongoing, creative expression of an infinitely wise, benevolent universe.
When we submit to “what is” the True Nature of thoughts and emotions reveals itself to be wholeness, peace, and love. When we resist and control emotions they are not free to express their natural tendency to spontaneously flow and change. If emotions are provided the open space to be themselves they will naturally relax their boundaries, unfold, and eventually transmute into their natural state.
When we surrender to experience we feel “real”. This is because we are embracing what we truly are in that moment and having a direct experience of our True Nature. Our present moment experience is directly affiliated with our True Nature. When we deny our emotions we disconnect from ourselves. When we fully feel emotions they eventually release, transform, and dissolve making known what is true.
In conclusion, it is absurd to try to make life happen and futile to fight with the organic unfolding of life. We need only to relax, receive, and absorb the bountiful expression of creative beauty that the universe endlessly provides. Welcoming all emotions and allowing them to be whatever they wish to be ultimately exposes the freedom, peace and joy underlying all creation and reveals our True Nature as infinite beings of light, love, and wisdom.
