Character Defects

Character Defects: Observations While Wearing a New Pair of Glasses

Let’s play a game!: Just TRY ON my glasses and tell me what you see … just for a couple of minutes.

In order to play this game, you MUST FIRST take off your own glasses.

You have to set aside EVERYTHING (you THINK) you know about Yourself, Your Life, Me, God (as you understand her) and the Nature of Reality (as you understand it in this moment). CAN YOU DO THAT?

If you can, then may you open yourself up to having a new experience … to see things in a different light. At the end, you are more than welcome to discard my glasses, and see things in any way you choose. Agreed?

I’m not trying to convince you of ANYTHING. My intention is to share my experience with you, and to offer you a fresh perspective that may benefit you.

Okay. Now, just take a deep breath … and let everything go.

Remember: This is NOT The Truth … (keep that in mind)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Let's assume that “Time” is made-up … an Illusion. The concept of “Change” can ONLY EXIST in the illusion of “Time” … a thing used to be one way, and has now changed into something else.

So, in this game, there is no Time. Therefore, there is NO CHANGE. It exists ONLY in a made-up “Story” with a Beginning, an End and the myth of “Cause and Effect” in between.

This means that there is NO “Past” and NO “Future,” either. Those are just thoughts I'm creating in this moment of NOW.

Try to change something and you simply create a different version of it. Changing something actually creates more of the same. What we resist, persists. It’s only when we bring “No Change” to something that it actually disappears (Landmark Education).

Outside of this awareness, in my automatic version of Reality, “I AM,” “YOU ARE” and “IT IS” a certain way. But, this is simply more Illusion. These are just sequences of “Thoughts” about experiences that I had in my “Past” (which, as you know, does not exist).

My Ego is also just a thought, as well. It is the Main Character in my made-up Story. And, since the Story isn’t Reality, then everything in it (including the Main Character and all the supporting roles) DOES NOT EXIST!

So, imagine this World: NO Time (Past, Present, Future, Beginning or End); NO Story (Plot, Characters, Drama, Change, Cause and Effect, etc.). Outside of this story, all there really is, is THIS frozen snapshot of NOW. And, even THAT is open to interpretation!

Currently in this fairytale, God has yet to remove certain “Character Defects” from the main character that I call Bill. REALLY? Why? … cuz I was late yesterday (again)? … cuz I procrastinated last week (again)? … cuz I didn’t meet my expectations of myself (again)?

[Notice your own thoughts about your story].

So, from those previous chapters in the book, I say that “I AM” still defective. REALLY? IS THAT REALLY TRUE RIGHT NOW?

Is that really true IN THIS MOMENT OF NOW? In THIS moment … the only place that God can be found … there is NO story, no past/present/future, etc.

So, yesterday’s behavior that I link to a character defect is NOT REAL. The behavior and the defect don't even exist RIGHT NOW. Therefore, I am aware of my false logic that leads me to the false conclusion of “Who I AM,” and “How It IS.” In this story, the Character Defects remain, as if they are physical things inside my head that need to be surgically removed!

If there REALLY IS an I AM that is REALLY true, I say that “I AM THE ALL-SINGING, ALL DANCING CRAP OF THE UNIVERSE” (Tyler Durden). I am “the same energy that moves the stars and the planets” (Wayne Dyer). And, those are just thoughts, too … not The Truth.

Then, immediately another thought comes … a judgment or analysis of a recent (past) event, or a possible (future) event or action that I might take. Suddenly, I am aware that I have left God in this moment, and I am back to writing my novel. I am blindly submerged in the drama of Bill's Life.

I think it is my Autobiography, but it's 100% fiction.

My main character is this poor soul who is often the innocent, blameless Victim of some evil. More often, he is involved in some “struggle” … some “problem” to deal with. Then, he becomes the heroic underdog who has stepped-up to slay the fire-breathing dragons of the world.

He has returned to the fantasy he calls “Real Life” … returned to what he thinks is The Real Reality (as opposed to dreaming state when he’s sleeping). He is solving some puzzle, or strategizing to overcome some (non-real) adversity.

A “Problem” is defined as something (that I say) “should not be” … any person (including me) or situation (in the past) that definitely SHOULD NOT BE THAT WAY! (Landmark Education).

“I should be more _______.” “She should not _______.” “He has no right to say that.” “I should be making more money.” “They shouldn't act like that in public.” “They should believe as I do.” “That is unforgivable.” “It's not fair.” “I don't deserve this kind of treatment.” “He's an asshole.” and on, and on … you get the idea.

[Notice what you are you labeling as a “problem” in your life?].

First of all, since it already happened in the “past” … since I cannot “change” what already happened, then I know that IT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED exactly as it did? Why? BECAUSE ITDID HAPPEN! That’s how I know that it SHOULD HAVE … CUZ IT DID! (Acceptance + Surrender = Peace of Mind).

If I COULD go back and change it, then it COULD HAVE happened another way. But, I can’t. And therefore it couldn’t. So, why am I wrestling and battling this illusionary fight that can never be won? The struggle only exists in my mind.

“When I argue with Reality, I lose 100% of the time”  (Byron Katie). I am arguing with God. I am saying that I know better than God (Alcoholics Anonymous).

When I see my made-up struggle, in the context of this other Reality, I see that I really have no problems … they do not exist for me. Everything (including Me) SHOULD BE exactly as IT IS, and exactly as IT IS NOT.

Secondly, the story also disappears … the characters vanish … and I return back to NOW.

In this light, I can choose to see past events as Negative, Positive, or Neutral (neither positive or negative). Or, I could even choose to view it as an invaluable lesson … a blessing … a cherished gift from The Almighty God Herself!

Where is The Gold in this? (Mankind Project) … What can I learn? … How can I benefit from it? … How can I use this in the future? … How is God molding me with this? … How can I use this personal experience help others?

What used to be “the worst things that ever happened to me” have transformed into my greatest assets (Alcoholics Anonymous). No one can ever take those from me. Today, they are my most prized possessions. God gave me those gifts for me to share with others.

Therefore, I don’t know what’s “good” for me … or, for you. Since I was wrong in the past, what I think is good for me today could very well be “bad” for me (and visa versa). In fact, “Good” and “Bad” are simply more judgments (thoughts) that I make-up as I go along.

Nothing in itself is inherently good or bad. In fact, there is no “Good and Bad.”

“Knowing” this, I choose to assign the Ultimate Meaning of Everything as being GOOD.

Returning to my concept of my Character Defects … these are my made-up BAD things that I say “I AM,” or “I HAVE” … that God has YET to remove. I label them as Negative Attributes (Problems) that remain with me in this progression of time.

Would God REALLY give me anything BAD in this moment? Has She ever been BAD to me? Wait! There is no BAD!

I can now honestly say that in this “REAL” moment of NOW, that those things DO NOT EXIST … LITERALLY , NON-EXISTENT.

So, in this VERY MOMENT OF NOW, GOD HAS REMOVED ALL OF MY CHARACTER DEFECTS!

  

Call it whatever you want … I am Saved …  Reborn … God-Conscious … Recovered … Restored to Sanity … entered the state of the Buddha … all of the promises have come true for me 100%.

The struggle is over. It never really was.

I am home at last. I live in Peace. There’s nothing to do, and nowhere to go.

I AM.  IT IS.

(and, those are just thoughts, too … Not The Truth)

And, here comes the next thought … I’ve gotta go, cuz I’ve got some more story to write.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(Thank you for reading this far! Please feel free to comment liberally … I'm interested in your thoughts and hearing of any books or resources you have found that are aligned with these concepts. You are welcome to forward this to anyone who might be interested.)