It amazes me that Jane Roberts was taking dictation on The Way Toward Health even as she lay in a hospital bed with just a few more months to live. Perhaps her illness served in some way for the greater expansion of all of us, as Seth offered much in response to Jane’s asking.
Below is a quote from The Way Toward Health and following that my comments.
April 19th, 1984 (The Way Toward Health)
4:03 PM Thursday
“There are certain simple steps that can be followed, whenever you
find yourself in a difficult situation, whether the condition is one of
poor health, a stressful personal involvement with another, a financial
dilemma, or whatever.
These steps seem very obvious, and perhaps too easy—but they will bring
an immediate sense of ease and peace of mind while your inner reserves
are being released and activated.
I have mentioned these steps many times, because they are so vital in
clearing the conscious mind, and bringing some sense of relief to the
frightened ego.
1. Immediately begin to live in the present as much as possible. Try to
become as aware as you can of present sense-data—all of it. Often, while
you are in pain for example, you concentrate upon that sensation alone,
ignoring the feelings of ease that may be felt by other portions of the
body and unaware of the conglomeration of sounds, sights and impressions
that are also in the immediate environment. This procedure will
immediately lessen the pressure of the problem itself, whatever it is,
and give you a sense of refreshment.
2. Refuse to worry. This fits automatically with step 1, of course. Tell
yourself you can worry all you want tomorrow, or on some other occasion,
but resolve not to worry in the present moment.
3. When your thoughts do touch upon your particular problem in that
present moment, imagine the best possible solution to the dilemma. Do not
wonder how or why or even when the ideal solution will come, but see it
in your mind’s eye as accomplished. Or if you are not particularly good
at visual imagery, then try to get the feeling of thanksgiving and joy
that you would feel if the problem was solved to your complete
satisfaction.”
Love that…someone once so eloquently stated: worry does not empty
tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. And how often
do we find that present moment awareness and worry simply cannot
co-exist. Worry by its nature is not present moment focused.
Number 3 of the steps reminds me so much of Neville’s teachings which
is to live in your imagination from the desired outcome as having already
manifested. So that you are not thinking of it, you are living from it as if it
has already happened in your mind’s eye.
And speaking of solutions – that big desire of yours, do you ever get the sense,
just a little nudge or an inkling that you know the end of that story. You don’t
know how it’s going to happen or when but you just have a sense, an inner
knowing that says it’s all going to work out. If you do, then go there now,
live from the end, don’t let yourself get caught up in the worry or confusion
or the endless attempts at figuring out what to do. Just go there to that
fulfilled state now. And every time you fall back into doubt, remind yourself
of one thing: you already know the end of this story. All the stuff in between,
is just stuff, you don’t have to give yourself away to it. If you are going to give
yourself away to anything than give it to living in remembering you already
know it all works out in the end.
It’s not our work to know how or why or when, our only work is to remain
faithful to that fulfilled state. Feel the body sense that goes along with that
fulfilled state of whatever it is you are desiring. For me, it is a feeling of deep
contentment, bliss, if you will. When a moment comes along and everything
feels like it’s not going in that direction, I go back to remembering that fulfilled
state and the corresponding body sense and I rest there.
We are choosing what we give ourselves to all the time with where we put our
focus. This moment I choose bliss.
This is wonderful Beth. I’m so glad you reposted the poem below it too…it is a such a beautiful piece and goes so well with this.
The Seth excerpt is great…I’ve never read that book and I love Seth. I love the quote too…worry does not empty
tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength….I never heard that before…it is powerful.
You grow more amazing every day!
love amy
Oh thank you Amy. You know I think the world of you, too. I love that quote on worry also. Many things have been said about worry but that quote in particular is stated so poetically.
Love you, Bethie
Dammit Bethie, I was all ready to have a little pity-party, just me all by myself, alone and whiny, and then, before I really got into it I thought – hummmmm, let’s go see what Bethie has to say and I read this post.
Now………….how am I going to indulge in moping when I am feeling lighter and happier? I might even have to go out and dance in the sunshine for gawds sake!
Aughhhhhhh! My inner whiner is very mad at you (it so wanted to indulge), but me, well, I just love you.
ritama
You crack me up everytime! I am so sorry inner whiner, as a consolation prize I think you should tell ritama you get 5 minutes of have-at-it, no holes barred whining time. Inner whiners need their time to shine, too, and knowing you, you’ll be laughing by the end of the 5 minutes. Love you, Bethie
i think you are terrific!
love,
the whiner inside her
Beautiful, Bethie! So apropo to my night last night–feeling some discomfort in my body I lay there and focused only on the NOW, only on the NOW and flooded myself with feelings and focus of love–LOVE is always there, in every now, and so always available to tune into….how I got the pain, what the pain might mean, where the pain might lead are all avenues that take me out of my now but love–love is sure fire way to be in the moment! Thanks for this complimentary post to my now journey! Love, Laurie
You probably already know, Bethie, this is exactly what I’ve been needing. Live in the present, all of the present, and not just in the portion that’s giving itself to pain. And live from the end! I love that too. Step 3 reminded me a lot of Neville too. I love all of this, thank you for posting it now.
I think it’s exactly what I needed to read today, Laurie and Belle. I was going to re-post a different one, I went searching for it but this one came up first and I thought – what a good post! LOL, I love it when I inspire myself. I’m glad you all like it and am grateful for the expression of appreciation.
thanks for this ALOT! and interesting as I have always wondered what happened with Jane & Seth near the end, I did not follow her life much, so I enjoy getting the info even NOW (o:
Live from the end…. I like it! xoam