January 1, 2002 private Christmas Story

Jan 1, 2002: Good morning and Happy New year to you all. I hope the following transcripts will be of interest to you.

Dec. 26th:  Barbara: On Christmas Eve Hal and I went to a midnight service at St. Andrews Episcopal Church. The church was beautifully lit and much of the service was the singing of dear, familiar carols. It was very inspiring. When the minister gave the sermon, a DSC student sitting beside me offered to sign, but Aaron said he would talk to me during the sermon. What he said was very beautiful so I've asked him to repeat it so I could type it out to share with others.

Christmas morning we had some dialogue during my meditation and later, aloud to Hal, about all of these things and has repeated that too for the rest of us. Finally, here is our ongoing morning meditation and conversation for a few days, based on these ideas.

Dec. 26, 2001: private transcript: I am Aaron. My blessings and deepest love to you. Your Christmas celebration comes with the winter solstice, which signals a return of the light. This is the promise, that the light will return. You still must experience the winter but the light is returning. This is a perfect metaphor for the spiritual passage. One moves through the darkness, longing for the light but aware that it seems ever further away. One usually forgets the existence of light for a period of time. Then comes an awakening that serves as reminder, the light is ever present if I will but choose to allow the experience of it. But winter follows, that “dark night of the soul” when one aspires to the light to which one has awakened and yet lives in the darkness and cold of winter. But the promise is there.

Much of the world was in such a place 2000 years ago. Great beings such as the Buddha had announced the light, and taught a path to liberation from darkness, but these teachings were only in pockets around the globe. Most of the world was deep in that darkness that precedes the awakening.  You had forgotten who you were, had forgotten that your essence was light.  The world was much in the grip of that fear and negativity which serves the self and turns its back on others.  We spoke many years ago1  (see footnote below) of the nature of positive and negative polarity as related to contraction. The world was in a place of contraction; light could not be experienced, so tight was the knot.  There are many beings of great negativity, just as there are many beings of Light.  Negativity wishes to expand itself, to move the entire universe into the contractions of fear.  The outplay of that push from negativity and the lack of opening to light, was an ever-increased shift toward the workings of fear. Primary was the kind of judgment which expresses itself in the “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” type of justice, devoid of compassion. This is the teaching of control and fear.

It was to this need that the one you know as Jesus took birth. The request was made for one of high sixth density to return to the earth in human form, one so perfected in love and compassion as to be able to hold that mirror of light for the world, to remind you of your true nature. He answered the call, answered it with love and without fear, even though he knew the passage to earth would result in his own suffering. Not just pain but suffering, for no matter how enlightened before the entry to earth, once within the human form there may be some forgetting of the truth, and with that forgetting, suffering will come. He did not forget who he was; he knew his divinity and that of all beings, or he could not have mirrored it for us. But still he suffered because he could not always see his own way clearly, because he did not fully trust his capacity to do what was needed with love, to give his human life in the way he did, on the cross, and without negativity assuming control.

This is a dilemma for many beings that see the way and do not fully trust their capacity to walk that way. His doubts were a gift to all, because they mirror our human doubts and remind us that the existence of doubt, of fear and its voices, is not a problem so long as we see it as part of the conditioned human experience and do not need to enact it. Fear and doubt arise and deepen our compassion, which is just as it did for him. He died with the words “forgive them” on his lips. . We will continue tomorrow. Please sit in silence now.

Footnote one pasted here:

95.02.09 p.c.

Barbara and Karen (Project Expand)

(Continuing with questions from last week on positive polarity. Aaron concluded by saying, “ we will need to more clearly define positive polarity.”)

Aaron: I am Aaron. Positive polarity has been defined in the past as service to other and negative polarity as service to self, yet on the ultimate level there is no self or other. How, then, may we define this term? We can define polarity most clearly with discussion of energy and the contraction or non-contraction of the energy field.

The deepest expression of positivity is the willingness to be a vessel through which energy - as abundance, as loving kindness, as light - may flow, to draw for the vessel-entity that which is needed for its own sustenance and to freely pass the rest through with no holding. Thus, one does not deny nor make martyr of the self, nor does one do harm to another or withhold out of fear. Ultimate positive polarity knows the infinite nature of Source so it has no fear that it must withhold or suffer lack. Neither does it serve another in preference to itself for it knows that both's needs will be met. When this pattern is in process, what I see visually is the clear flow of energy through the vessel-entity, circulating within its physical, emotional, mental levels and passing freely from it to all who would receive it.

Please remember as I speak that negative polarity is a distortion of positive polarity. Negative polarity may be defined as the contraction of fear whereby the serving entity contracts its energy because it does not fully understand the unlimited nature of God. Fear leads it to the bias that all needs may not be met. It may hold back more than it needs, thus depriving momentarily but still causing another real pain through that momentary deprivation, or it may be induced by fear to deep and ongoing harm to others.

It may move to the opposite bias, serving at expense of itself, depleting and even destroying itself. Such movement seems to be positive polarity, service to others, but self is also an other. To do harm to any, even the self, demonstrates the presence of the contraction of fear. There is a distortion that there is not enough or that the self is insufficient as channel for that abundance.  If one denies self, not including self in that sharing of abundance, there is distortion that self is separate from other.  This being may be basically of positive polarity but contains these particular biases of duality and of its own insufficiency. Its energy field is contracted around the issue of meeting its own needs.  It expresses a negative distortion within the positively polarized vehicle, rust on the otherwise open pipe.

Barbara is asking, what of the saint who truly gives its life, in love, to serve another? Here there is no contraction. Its deepest need is being met, which need is to do precisely what it has done, to accept the harm in replacement for another with deep awareness that it is suffering no harm but merely willingly suffering damage to this particular physical body as necessary means of the moment.

I believe contraction or non-contraction of energy is the best basis for determining positive or negative polarity. No being is totally positively- or negatively-polarized, so we do not have a totally contracted or open energy field. Relative bias toward positivity or negativity may be measured by the degree of contraction.

Remember that negative polarity is a distortion of positive polarity. For a simple image, liquid will flow smoothly through the uncongested pipe.  The pipe that is clogged with debris reminds one of a contracted state, yet no matter how clogged the pipe, it has the potential to open. The water pushes against that congestion just as light touches darkness, asking it to open, receive and share.  Openness is the true nature of the pipe or of any vehicle. It is the true nature of the soul.

What is the perfectly polished and clean pipe? Can it reach a stage where it cannot get cleaner? Would one polish away all the material of the pipe itself? Then what would shape the water's flow? We are always moving toward perfect positive polarity, which state is perhaps reached in eighth density but I do not know this for certain. Are there questions?

Barbara: What is neutral polarity?

Aaron: I am Aaron. We have two different terms between which we must distinguish. That which is balanced between negative and positive, as are most beings - positively-polarized but not fully uncontracted or negatively-polarized but not fully contracted - are not what I term neutral. There is positive or negative slant. Energy creates momentum. Intention is a form of energy. Intention to harm or not harm creates a force, which makes it virtually impossible for a being to hover in dead center, neither positive nor negative.

When I us e the term neutral, I do not then refer to something between negative and positive. Neutral is that place in which there either is yet no concept of positive or negative, or which has moved fully beyond any perception of duality in positive/negative. I previously said that this infinite energy and light was first neutral. It simply was. There was nothing to convey, nothing for which it would be vehicle, and nothing to which to convey it because it was everything and everywhere. It is only in the relative expression of God that positive and negative take on meaning.

A question over which we may puzzle: Negativity is contained in positivity. Is neutral then positive or negative? If neutral is that ultimate state of the infinite at rest, positive is the fullest expression of the infinite in expansion. Negative is merely a distortion of positive. Are there questions?

Barbara: So pure awareness (rigpa) , is neutral, but in moving to express into the world, the  positivity shines forth?

Aaron: Yes.  In rigpa there is no person, no one resting there. True rigpa is neutral in that it sees no ultimate distinction between positivity and negativity but knows the negative to be simply one expression of the Light. As soon as there is personal intention, the ‘self'' that intends calls up the expression, which in this case would be toward positive polarity.

You are not meant to merely rest in pure awareness with no contact with the relative plane.  Your work is to integrate the two, to rest in that clarity and then bring it forth from ultimate to relative. This is the blend of wisdom and compassion.

End of footnote

Dec. 27, 2001: Aaron: You are each called upon to enact your own Light as he did. To do that, you must learn two things, to know your light so you may shine it forth, and to know the nature of shadow so you may break through it, so it no longer seems to block the Light.  It will dissolve.

Shadow does not block the light; your illusion that it thus blocks and the contraction that accompanies the notion that you must destroy the shadow - these are what block the Light.  To bring forth Light is the fruit of all the teachings of all religions; to know the light; to move beyond reactivity to the darkness.  You must not fear the first dark nor the dark night, nor become caught in identity with darkness. Like all relative experience, it will pass. It is to teach this love of the Light, and transcendence of the shadow that all the great ones have come.  

You are not highly focused this morning. Please move into a period of silence and then we will continue, or continue tomorrow.

Dec. 28, 2001:  Barbara: On Christmas eve at the Episcopal Church service I participated in the Eucharist Celebration, something I've only done twice before and never on Christmas. Can you speak of the meaning of this taking of the bread and wine, the Body and Blood of Christ?

Aaron: I would speak first to another, related question. What does it mean to acknowledge and enact your divinity? You have felt yourself restless this fall, mind less focused. In part this is a reflection of the busyness of your life, and the present constancy of your travels. But it is also a statement of the reluctance to fully acknowledge your truth. Why would there be such resistance?  You have just watched the movie Jesus, about his life. Therein was well portrayed the real fear and grief of the human Jesus who did not know if he was capable of doing what was asked and keeping his heart open through whatever pain might follow. You all follow in this path, acting to dim the full realization of your truth because it seems impossible that you can live that truth.

My child, you are not asked to live it perfectly, in such meaning of “perfectly” as never to experience fear, pain or desire. You are asked only to do your best to let the light shine through, not to enact that fear in the world but to bring compassion to the frightened human. You have his model. This is what he did. He did it nobly, with great love, but there were moments of fear. He did not hate that fear but let Light shine upon and through it.

Your resistance is a token of the still enduring edge of dualistic thought. You would not be afraid too much would be asked if you truly accepted that all that is ever asked is to be as openhearted as is possible.

You ask me about the taking of the Body and Blood of Christ. The bread and wine are the fruits of the earth. Enlightenment is the fruit of human experience.  The spirit body is already, and ever realized. How can that which knows Truth come to realize it? But the human must come to know its truth. It is through the human that the truth is brought forth into the world. It is precisely because the human, however great its realization, still must work with faith and love to cut through doubt and fear -  it is because of this that the human has such power to literally change the universe and bring Light to places of darkness.

The human takes this divine essence into itself as a reminder of its divinity. “This is my body; this is my blood,”  the body and blood of the living Christ, the living divinity that is within. Let it awaken the truth in yourself; let it mirror the Light within so as to dispel doubt. This is the purpose of this act. You receive this communion, a free will act of reception. To receive is an act of surrender, to allow the ego and its fears that you cannot enact this divinity to quiet so that the divine voice may emerge.  In the taking of this bread and wine you are inviting the Holy Spirit already within to give clearer voice.

No it is not necessary to perform this ritual. It is one ritual, which may lead to deeper awakening for those for whom it resonates. As you have noted, Quakers seem to abhor such ritual, I think precisely because the action can become mechanical and mask the true meaning. The Friend seeks the true meaning by eliminating all that can become mechanical. There is no negative statement about the ritual itself here; there are many doorways and each seeks the one most accessible to itself.

Those who are of non-Christian faiths, such as Jews and Buddhists, have their own equal pathway to receiving the truth.  We will speak further of this. That is all for today.

Dec. 29th, 2001:   Barbara: I've been sitting in this lovely room (my study in the basement), heater spreading warmth beside me into the cold morning, candles glistening on the altar where the new altar cloth's many sequins and jewel-like stones reflect the light. Outside the high window, snow is heaped. I'm feeling much joy and peace, the blessings of this incarnation. Thank you. I just want to pass this to Aaron now and see what he wants to say. No specific questions.

Aaron: Good morning, child. My blessings and love to you. You have noticed the coming and going of contraction as you sat. An uncomfortable thought would come, as about the non-functioning e-mail; then you noted the thought and the body contraction that accompanied the thought, consciously brought kindness to the body using phrases of metta, and noted the path of that contraction.  Sometimes it dissolved completely; sometimes it remained. Either way, there was a shift to release identity with the contraction, and an easing back into resting in the uncontracted state.

This is not at all new for you; it is your normal practice. I only bring it to your attention because as you sat, I asked you to note the presence or seeming lack of presence of Light/ energy, and the open flow of it.  We have been speaking of Light and that the move into 4th density means the final relinquishment of contraction as self.  That does not mean contraction ceases. Please note that the heart-beat is a series of contractions and without that heartbeat, human life is impossible!  Contraction is seen for what it is, impermanent result of conditions, and met with kindness and no self-identity. This simple shift in perspective is the first fruit of all you practice and teach.

I spoke in the past days of Jesus coming as a bringer of Light.  “The earth was without form, and void, and God said, ‘Let there be Light”. The divinity in which you all participate brought forth that Light and “saw that it was good.” This was the first day.

Now you are come to a later day. The potential is laid before you. It is time to reclaim your divinity for the good of all sentient beings on every plane. If you are not able to do this, all of you humans, then others will come at a later time and do it. But you can do it!  Delay will bring forth enormous suffering. Why not go ahead with what you planned? What do you have to lose, except suffering itself?

Barbara: You make it sound so easy, Aaron, and yet for us it is so hard. I see the choices so clearly, but I still get caught.

Aaron: This is not about getting caught or not getting caught. It is about bringing love and light, always, to the one who got caught. That which sees the situation is not caught. Just keep returning to that Pure Awareness, and then committing to offer kindness out into the world.  This is all you need to practice and to teach. Vipassana supports this movement of the already realized heart/mind, so you continue to teach vipassana, but you already understand you neither practice nor teach vipassana as end in itself, but to nurture that level of awareness that is capable of knowing truth and resting there.

Please return to your sitting. That is all.

Dec. 30, 2001: Barbara: Aaron, several days ago you spoke of the solstice as a time for returning to the light, but said one still must pass through winter. I understand you were comparing this to the first awakening and then the ensuing ‘dark night' before full spring. Can you speak further about this?

Aaron: Good morning, child; my love to you on this magnificent earth morning. It is a rare day with blue skies and glistening snow. I hope you will give yourself ample time outdoors to enjoy it.

This was meant not only as personal but also as earth metaphor.  The earth passed through its own solstice, its emergence into knowledge of the light, at the times these great masters lived and taught. I speak here not only of the Buddha and the Christ but of all the ancient great ones of all faiths. It has been through winter and we seek to birth it into spring. It will take all the effort and love that can be offered from those who understand spring in their hearts. Each being who has such understanding must both work on themselves, to bring forth their own radiance into the world, and must work to teach others through both their words and their model. It is only in this way that darkness will lose power on the earth.

I once described the Eden that earth can become. That talk is in one of your books (Aaron, “Eden” ). This is what we move toward as we move to birth earth into fourth density, to bring forth the potential of love and compassion, of wisdom and clarity and express it into the universe.

You read the newspaper and despair that earth can ever radiate that clarity. It does seem farfetched when you read of the wars, cruelty, service to self and to greed and hatred. There is only one way to go, and that is a step at a time, each teaching kindness as you are able. The negativity that seems to be blossoming with the events of September 11th is darkness' answer to the efforts of the Light. The stronger the stance of Light, the louder will sound  the voice of darkness. And yet, you must remember, there is no duality. There IS only Light, and its distortion as darkness. Darkness does not exist as a thing in itself.  Despair will only serve darkness. I do not encourage a pretended innocence that does not acknowledge the activity of the shadow, but only that insight into non-duality rekindle your loving intention to persist in service to light.

It is no coincidence that this book, Lord of the Rings, has just emerged as a major film. This story reminds many people of the struggle in which each of you plays a part. Will you serve the dark hosts who gather everywhere, and even (or especially) in your own hearts, or will you continue in faith to carry the “ring” and toss it back into the crack of doom, to destroy power that plays on fear and control.  How do you carry the ring? You are each called upon to carry what you can, to work with skill and love with the voices of fear within.  Frodo is the perfect example of the “little man”. No great hero in stature or background, just a small hobbit, yet the future of the entire universe rests on his shoulders and those of his companions.  Thus are you all. The battle is not now for the great masters who have lit the way, but for all those who must now affirm their intention and ability to walk that way, the way of loving compassion and wisdom.

You wonder, “Can I do it?” No “you” cannot do it. Love can do it. Faith can do it. Intention to harmlessness can do it. Persistence can do it. Very hard work can do it.  Millions of you, together in this, can do it.  This is my hope for you in this new year, that you realize your infinite power, not as individuals but under the banner of “love”.

Please sit now. That is all for today.

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