Enlightenment Part 3 - Acting “AS-IF”

 AS-IF in Guided Imagery

There is a wonderful technique called guided imagery.  You can train in this technique and use it as a clinician to help others.  You can also learn to do this on your own. 

Some guided imagery is used as recordings that you listen to, for instance those that can lead you to relaxation.  Some good ones are located here:

http://www.osuhealthplan.com/online/guidedimagery/

I am more interested in the imagery that helps you to solve problems.  These are techniques to help you to dig deeply into your unconscious, and to bring the dark into the light (de-light!).  These are powerful techniques that can be used with a skilled guide, but, they can also be done on your own. 

Marty Rossman runs a training institute for guided imagery:

http://www.academyforguidedimagery.com/about/index.html

One method I really like is used to access inner wisdom, or probe a topic that might be bothering you.  You place an imagined “part of yourself” in a chair sitting opposite of you and have a conversation.  The part can be “Your Greatest Loving Wisdom,” or it can be a part of you that you don’t like.  Examples might include, “The Critic,” “The Emotionally Incontinent Self,” or “The Addict.”  

I won’t go deeply into this technique here today.  I have another topic that relates to this technique. 

Some individuals say, “I can’t bring up any images.”  The answer to that is, “That is OK.  Imagine AS-IF you could bring up an image of the part of yourself that you wish to be in dialog.”  

It seems to work just as well.  Interesting! 

AS-IF with Money

I’m always talking to myself.  I tend to get lost in the future.  My monkey mind often says, “If someone donated 1 million dollars to the university to give me a Chaired Professorship, I would restart my research into consciousness,” or “if someone donated 10 million, I would start a Department of Consciousness Studies,” or “with 50 million I would start an Integral Medical School.” 

This is a very human condition.  A study was done that asked people, “how much money would make you happy?”  It didn’t matter if you made $20,000 a year or $20 million a year, people invariably picked a number that was twice what they were making now. 

In the future I’ll write a piece on dissatisfaction.  For now, I want to discuss thinking about money AS-IF.  Ask yourself, “what is preventing me from doing what I thought I would do if I had “X” dollars?”  Can I act AS-IF I had this money?  Can moving in smaller steps get me to the same place? 

I don’t have the answer to the money question.  I still like the easier method of really having the funds to do good more work.  But, perhaps, this is something I need to work on! 

AS-IF for Enlightenment

I think you are getting the idea now.  Ask yourself, “how would I act if I was already fully enlightened?”  As we discussed previously, enlightenment is always with you.  It is the baseline functioning of your brain-body.  You just cover it up with thoughts of the past and thoughts of the future, obsessions with money, sex, unhappiness, and so forth.  Acting “AS-IF,” can be a powerful tool for dropping the monkey mind. 

So, join me in the AS-IF club.  Take some time today to walk around and talk to people AS-IF you were already fully enlightened.   What would that feel like?   How would you act? 

Perhaps, follow the 3 Commandments I wrote about yesterday:

            1-There is only one Source.

                        2-Love everything.

                                    3-Enjoy yourself.

Don’t tell anyone you are trying to act like the Buddha or Jesus, that won’t work very well. 

Just drop your worries about the past and the future, and act AS-IF. 

Find your self, becoming Self.  Feel that part of Self more grounded to the earth and more transparent to the world, walking and resonating with the winds of gentle change.