full of ghosts, demons, and darkness in hopes that
we will never look within. When we do look within
it is as if the lights were turned on in a
carnival's haunted house. We then clearly see
the cardboard the demon is cut from,
and the wire attached to the ghost.
We laugh at what only a moment ago
seemed so real.
The fear of looking within ourselves is very common.
Yet, in my practice, I have witnessed countless
courageous people confront and move beyond fear.
Listening to the Ego Mind, we become afraid to look within. We firmly believe that what we would find would be grotesque, beyond the possibility of healing.
Because of this we displace our guilt and shame onto others,
unconsciously believing that we are getting rid of it.
The key word is believe.
It is only our belief in shame and guilt that gives them any power.
The Ego Mind thinks that it is quite appropriate to fear shame and guilt, whereas the Whole Mind
see them as only a scant veil covering the light of love.
The Whole Mind, which is true perception, never teaches us that we are shameful or guilty. When we finally decide to listen to the soft and gentle voice of the Whole Mind, we begin to relinquish fear. Deciding to look within, however, is a fearful thought to the mind that still listens to the ego, because we are afraid to see the ugliness that we believe is there.
In the Ego Mind, fear and shame fit together perfectly.
For this reason we always seem to fear looking at our shame.
The backbone of the ego-based existence is:
"Have faith in shame and guilt and be afraid to look at them."
Loudly the ego shouts at us that we dare not look within.
For if we do, the despair that we may feel will be so overwhelming we will not survive.
Yet it is difficult to relinquish that which we will not look at.
And so, through the use of fear, the Ego Mind stays intact.
The ego mind is most afraid of having us ask these questions:
- What if there is really no shame at all?
- What if guilt is not there?
- What if I looked within and saw love and
existed?
Your simple interest in reading this indicated you have already begun to question the thought system of the ego. And by contemplating the questions above, the ego begins to have less of a hold on you.
You are starting to see that those who truly have peace of mind are those who no longer see their identify as tied to the ego.
You are no longer entirely unwilling to look within.
This is the most important step you will take in your personal development.
During the period of relinquishment of guilt and shame, we take this partial liberation and make it more complete. We can begin to release the insane beliefs that the ego has told us are true.
A window shade needs only to be lifted in order for the sun to come steaming through.
Similarly, we only need to relinquish the guilt, fear, and shame that show our love for life to enter our lives. The result is trust, for trust is a facet of love.
Personal freedom is when I am not afraid to look within myself.
The Art of Trust ~ Lee Jampolsky