Time is like an annoying spam email that we receive hundreds or thousands of every day across the reaches of our neural net. It is an illusion of the mind, within which it exists as an organizing construct. Outside of the mind there is no time. Yet, if we subscribe to it, then we will fall under its rule. The purpose of this post is to 1.) consider how time is an illusion, 2.) link this understanding to practical matters, and 3.) learn how to unsubscribe from its deleterious domination.
Universal Simultaneity
From the perspective of universal consciousness, everything is at the same place, at the same time. Time is an illusion of the human mind, that helps it organize and support another illusion — the illusion of control. Since one of the fundamental courses in life’s curriculum for the soul, whose mastery serves as a qualifying exam for entry into higher levels of learning, is our ability to distinguish between truth and illusion, and then to apply this knowledge in practical ways; if we can see such illusion for what it is, then we will be more likely to attain higher consciousness.
Multiple Lives
Our soul is given many lives within which we travel through a variety of human experiences to learn valuable lessons from. They are often conceptualized as past, present, and future lives. This, too, is an illusion of time. All of our lives occur simultaneously, and it is the one we are focusing on that we perceive. With practice we can learn to shift our focus from one life to another. In Ayurveda this is done through the Seed Sheath of the Causal Body.
Age
Age is an aspect of time, and is therefore an element of its illusion. If we believe in it, then we fall under its rule. If we don’t, then we won’t. When we subscribe to societal expectations or cultural beliefs regarding age groups, then we will likely create these outcomes while in each respective group — because we believe this is what will happen. What we believe in, and the ways we focus our belief-based attention on it, will create the conditions of our human experience. This applies to energy, attitude, lifestyle, activity level, mental and physical health, and appearance. For instance, if we believe we are supposed to have an immature attitude, be dependent upon our parents, and live a single lifestyle until a certain age or status (e.g. until we are married/which is common in Europe), then this will probably happen. Similarly, if we believe that when we reach a certain age we will start slowing down, deteriorating physically, and losing our ability to function; then we likely will. We create these conditions by believing in them.
If we don’t believe in these time-based illusions, then we won’t fall under their rule. For instance, if we believe we will be healthy and strong until we leave our physical form, and if we take whatever steps we can to remain vital, energized, and enthusiastic about life; then this is the outcome we will likely create. We will not get old, debilitated, and filled with despair. We will remain youthful, healthy, and happy — and will usually live a longer life in much better health. But we will not die old — we will die Kai, or Caty, or Beccah — based on who we are when our spirit leaves our body. We must be careful what we focus on, or believe in, because it will, at least in part, create what happens in our lives.
For example, in Abkhazia, a legendary republic east of the Black Sea, it is customary for people to live to be over the age of 100 while remaining mentally and physically healthy. The Abkhasian people are among the longest living societies in modern history with more centenarians than most countries in the world. Beyond their protracted lifespans, the Abkhasians are also among the healthiest aging populations — both mentally and physically. “Elders have been known to run up and down the mountains, laughing and dancing. Regardless of how long Abkhasian people typically live, it is evident that they suffer almost none of the chronic illness that we have today, which is likely due in large part to their culture, community, and lifestyles.” I submit that their beliefs create the conditions resulting in this culture, community, and lifestyle; which lead to their longevity and good health. This is what they, for centuries, have believed will happen — so it does — because they continue creating the conditions by focusing their belief-based attention on them.
Love
If we limit our search for heart-centered love to only those within certain age ranges, then we are deciding who we will “love” based on an illusion of the mind and the objectification of its ego. Real love is a spiritual thing, and our decisions about who we choose to share it with should be made for spiritual reasons (as long as those involved are old enough to meet the moral and legal requirements of whatever country or culture they live within). This means it should be based on the quality of the spiritual connection we share with someone — regardless of their age, appearance, race, socioeconomic status, etc.
My friend Jim, from San Diego, shared his parents’ amazing love story with me. When they met, his Dad was 60 and his Mom 30. They fell deeply in love, married, and shared 40 years of bliss together. For them, age was irrelevant — love was all that mattered. They were hopelessly devoted to each other in their love, and everyone knew it. It wasn’t about animal attraction, although they shared this too — it was about their harmonizing spiritual connection. Jim said he had the best childhood of anyone he knew, because his parents loved each other so much, and because his Dad retired shortly after he was born, and he was able to spend his entire childhood with both of them. He described it as gentle, sweet, and loving. Jim, himself, had an unusual calmness about him, and said he was the happiest person he knew. He said his Mom never remarried, continued expressing her love for his dad after he died, and then spent more time investing in her favorite hobbies.
For me, I would much rather spend one month, one year, or ten years with someone I truly love than an entire life with someone I don’t. And we never know when we’ll be leaving this life anyway. It could happen at any moment for any reason without notice — and often does. So I believe that each life is about finding and living heart-centered love to the fullest, and by doing so synergistically catalyzing our spiritual growth and development.
Unsubscribing from the Rule of Time
So when I meet people, and that familiar Q&A of getting-to-know each other begins; one of the first things I usually say is “I don’t do age, I don’t do appearance, and I don’t do race.” As an externally blind person, this might be a little easier for me than for some ;). And even though there has been a cure for my human vision condition for about 18 earth years, having had it both ways, I like it much better as it is (for many reasons). One of these is that I prefer getting to know people through the eyes of my spirit rather than the eyes of my head (whose sense perceptions are interpreted by the mind). I like to get to know people from the inside out. But I digress …
Since time is an illusion of the mind, to unsubscribe from it we must dis-identify with its source — the mind. To do this, we need to learn how to recognize and release the mind from our lives. Many believe that they are their mind, and consequently fail to become aware of their spirit. The mind is like a computer, intended to help us process information and communicate — like our Mac or PC. It is not who we are. Like a computer, we should engage it (turn it on) when we need its help processing something, and then turn it off — while our spirit continues manifesting as our identity. So, it could be helpful to understand the mind as our false self and the spirit as our true self. The mind and its ego are blaring, persuasive, and remarkably mercurial. The spirit is quiet, subtle, and continuous. The mind is the voice in our head that often won’t shut up. The spirit is that still, small voice that is sometimes hard to hear. The mind is that part of us that resists needed change and causes us to continue in unhealthy situations, manufacturing justifications, excuses, rationalizations up the yin-yang to help us feel positive about doing negative things. The spirit is that part of us that accepts needed change without resistance while flowing naturally like a mountain stream to the sea. The mind is complex and convoluted. The spirit is simple and clear. The mind, particularly its ego, will often avoid truth and replace it with illusion. The spirit only seeks the truth. The mind selfishly pursues attention and gratification. The spirit selflessly seeks to attain higher consciousness and encourage others in its pursuit.
Media, entertainment, and advertising industries thrive on the ego’s preoccupation with age, appearance, attention, popularity, socioeconomic status, etc. So if you notice yourself buying into any of these persuasive armed marketing strategies, this too is your mind, which will work over-time to keep you subscribed to the ruling domination of time. Without time, the mind and its ego find it much more difficult to trick or control us into believing illusion is truth. Truth is not ruled by time. It is timeless.
So we want to become conscious of which parts of our awareness are our mind and which parts are our spirit. Most of my blog posts focus on this in one way or another, and Eckart Tolle’s “A New Earth” is a wonderful, practical guide to making this distinction. Meditation, yoga, and mindfulness can help prepare us for noticing these things more easily. Regular exercise and a daily diet of gourmet sex will keep us healthier and help us release physical stress and tension that can distract from spirit and make it easier for the mind to regain control.
After learning how to distinguish between mind and spirit, we need to practice applying this knowledge in all things. When we notice a mind-based idea, we need to identify it for what it is, and remove it if it is not serving a simple purpose of helping us process information and/or communicate. If we remove it, then we can replace it with a clear spiritual truth. The range of possible examples here is so broad that I hesitate to offer any, as I would not want my examples to limit the scope of what is being considered.
After connecting with your spirit, if you discover that your beliefs are not in alignment with it, joyously change them so that they are. After doing so, focus your attention on these spirit-based beliefs with all of your everything! This will both help you unsubscribe from the rule of time and consciously co-create your dreams!
If you’d like a little help getting started with this life-changing process, then click on the Unsubscribe button below. Doing so will take you to a Contact Form that will connect us in this pursuit. Here’s to freeing ourselves from the illusion of time!
Was this post helpful? What are some things that help you distinguish between truth and illusion? What are some of the mind-based illusions (time, age, objectification, etc.) that you struggle with, and how are you dealing with them? When do you feel most connected to spirit, or through spirit to universal consciousness? In what ways have you noticed that what you focus on/believe in is what you create?
Photo credit: Tom Roeleveld
Now and Then
July 17, 2018
Each moment is a lifetime, a chance to heal, to grow, to understand,
Each lifetime is but a moment passing by,
But even this is still misleading, constructed solely by the human mind,
For time itself is an illusion thoughts belie;
All things exist atemporally, in simultaneous occurrence,
Everything is everywhere and everywhen,
Since our mind can’t comprehend this, and our senses can’t perceive it,
We break it down to make it seem like now and then;
Gradiant scales abound, and what we focus on is what we see,
What we believe in is in essence what we make,
As we co-create what happens, with the conscious light of being,
We are often in the darkness not awake;
So in love or life or circumstance, when it comes to things of time and space,
Just remember they are false and look away,
Or you’ll find that you are ruled by them, that they determine how life happens,
What we believe and how we focus forms the day;
Each moment is a lifetime, a chance to heal, to grow, to understand,
Each lifetime is but a moment passing by,
But even this is still misleading, constructed solely by the human mind,
For time itself is an illusion thoughts belie,
Time itself is an illusion thoughts belie.
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