You Are Always In Good Hands

When you feel some kind of discomfort, call it depression, sadness, worry, frustration, anger, uncertainty, in one word, fear, remember that what you are experiencing is nothing but a passing wave. So simply feel it, and breath into it. Just quietly breath.

That passing wave has nothing to do with your present circumstance(s), whichever it may be. As the course reminds us, "I am never upset (depress, sad, angry, frustrated, etc.) for the reason I think." W-pI.5

Your Self is in charge of your life and all is perfect as it is supposed to me. This also reminds me the line from A course in miracles which states, "All things work together for good. There are no exceptions except in the ego's judgment." T-4.V.1:1-2

Learn to little by little trust in each moment, which would be the same as to say, to trust in your Self. And like everything, that experience is nothing but an obstacle that it is being brought to your conscious awareness in order to disappear into the light of Truth. In other words, in order to be healed.

So with patience and tranquil surrender, breath, feel, and do not focus on any specific circumstance or event. In other words, do not fix your attention on any story the mind is trying to built around whatever it is you are feeling, and you'll see how everything is flowing perfectly.

Simply do that, and before you even know it, you'll once again begin to feel wonderful, and will remember that it is all a passing wave.

If on the contrary you focus on the circumstance, the problem, the story (the wave), assuming that the reason you feel the way you do is because of whatever experience you seem to make responsible for your feelings, basically, if you keep focussing on the passing wave, all you'll be doing is surfing it.

That being the case, you'll continue experiencing more and more of that which makes you feel the way you are feeling now. In that moment you are simply forgetting that what you are feeling is simply and obstacle that as I said before, is coming up for healing.

Let it heal. That's why you are experiencing it. Otherwise it would not be there. Don't judge it, don't analyze it, don't make a story around it, just let it heal. Or as the Beatles would say, "Let it be".

If it is there, is because that is how it was supposed to be. That's all. There is nothing to do or to fix, just feel, and allow.

Although the experience may be uncomfortable, while we are taught to be "grateful" in order to have certain experiences, which for the most part are ways to hide the obstacles that are buried deep within, learn to be grateful for that healing, learn to be grateful for that stuff that is coming out so you can liberate  yourself once and for all from it.

Simply breath, and feel. That the only thing you need to do. Trust the process, because the One Who is in charge is your Self, not you.

Therefore, enjoy the fact that you are always in Good Hands. ;o)

It Is All A Thought by Nick Arandes

When I close my eyes and rest in that space, it becomes easier to recognize that everything is a thought. Therefore, I can observe the thoughts while at the same time being conscious of that what bothers me as well as what excites me, whatever the emotional reaction may be as a result of having that thought, is not the thought that causes me to feel or to react that way, but the meaning I am projecting unto it. Or to be more specific, my unconscious desire to want that thought to have some kind of meaning for me.

However, at least by being aware of this, it gives me an opportunity to observe the thought as well as my physical reaction to it, without giving it (projecting) any meaning, therefore being able to continue resting in that space of awareness. That way, the Holy Spirit can undo the unconscious meaning (guilt) I am projecting unto it, and that thought will cease to have the power to affect me. I will not find myself reacting to it.

Nevertheless, when I open my "eyes" and look at the "world" around me, including "myself", I forget that it is all a thought, therefore I find myself falling into my own trap of projecting meaning unto everything, and therefore, reacting to everything I seem to "see", "hear", "feel", etc.
So my daily practice is to commune with that space of silence as many times as I can during my waking hours, with my eyes closed, and to remind myself again and again and again that everything is a thought, and to let the Right Mind (Holy Spirit, Christ, Essence, whatever you want to call it) to do Its work. Then when I open my eyes and return my attention to the world "outside", to keep that awareness during the rest of the day.

That way I experience myself less and less affected by my illusions because I find myself resting ore and more in my Self. And when I fall of the wagon, it becomes easier to stand back up again because something within me recognizes that it is all a thought.

You Are Not The Rope by Nick Arandes

Imagine that you think you are a rope from which all sorts of things are hanging. All these hanging things are our problems, our pains, our pleasures, our thoughts, our beliefs, pretty much everything that somehow makes up for our identity as a rope.

Some ropes are white, some are black, some are male, some are female, some are depressed, some are "happy", some are rich, some are poor, some are sick, some are "healthy", or a combination of some or all, depending on the kinds of things that are hanging from each rope.

The poor rope for example hopes to exchange all his hanging things (thoughts of lack) in exchange for other hanging things (thoughts of "abundance") in order to feel like a rich rope. A depress rope hopes to exchange all his hanging things (thoughts of depression) for other hanging things (happy thoughts) in order to be "happy", or at least not to feel like a depressed rope.

When these ropes can't seem to find a way to be able to become a different kind of rope, they seek for help. Where? To other ropes who think they can help. Each of these ropes may take the form of spiritual teachers, experts, psychologist, therapist from all sorts of modalities, friends or anyone whom we can go to for advice.

Nothing wrong with that, it is just that a rope who think it is a rope, and that sees you as a rope, for that is what he / she believes himself / herself to be, cannot truly help another liberate from any hanging thing.

It may help bring some temporary relief by exchanging one hanging thing ("negative" belief) for another ("positive" belief), just like a pill may relieve you from a headache, until a new headache shows up since the cause of the headache has not changed.

Well, we can try to change the things hanging from our rope, we can try to fix them, but we cannot let go of them for in doing so, we would be letting go of our identity. Not our true identity, but the one we belief ourselves to be, a rope.

And the problem is that as long as we identify ourselves with being a rope, there is no way for us to get rid of the things that are hanging from our rope because once again, without them, who would we be?

However, there is one permanent solution, in which all of our things (problems) would immediately vanish. And that is, to let go of the rope, for in doing so, all the hanging things (all of our problems, mental, physical, and emotional) would fall away.

They have to! If there is nothing from where to hang them, they would have to drop, to fall away. Makes sense, wouldn't you think?

But still, even when it makes perfect sense, why it is so hard to let go of the rope?

Because we forgot that who we are is not the individual rope but the Awareness in which all the ropes appear to be. And to let go of the rope means letting go of my individual self (ego), which means death.

Therefore, in a very masochistic way, I rather hang on to my identity with all its pains and suffering, which is temporarily covered up with some distracting pleasures, as opposed to letting it go in exchange for permanent peace, happiness and joy because again, I am afraid to die (to let go of the ego, to let go of my identity as a rope).

So if I think I am a body for example, I must think that I am a rope. If I feel I have some kind of trouble, and since only ropes perceive themselves as troubled, I must think that I am a rope.

So to let go of all of the hanging things (problems, thoughts of depression, fear, judgment, etc.) there is only one simple thing to do, which I mentioned earlier, to let go of the rope!

And how can we do so? We can start by practicing on a daily basis, through silence, through meditation, through introspection, or whatever vehicle that may be suitable, to identify with the Awareness in our mind, which is what we truly are.

Only then we will find ourselves observing how the hanging things begin to fall away naturally, by themselves, without our intervention, until the time comes that we are so excited about having discovered Who we truly are, that we will be glad to let go of the rope, for we have come to realize that the rope is nothing compared to our True Identity, which is the experience blissful peace, pure love and joy, for that is Who we truly Are.

In other words, simply rest in the peace of God, for there is nothing else to do. Right this moment, take a deep breath, and even if it was for just this moment, you just had the experience of what it is like to not have any hanging things (problems). You have for this moment, healed!

Do this more often, and that will be your constant experience, or you can continue to identify yourself with the rope, and if that is the case, good luck finding any "solution" to any of your "problems."

Remember, darkness can't lead darkness to light. However, only the awareness of light, removes all darkness.

Yesterday I Thought That Today I Could Have a Problem

Yesterday I thought that today I could have a problem. However, today I realized that the only problem I had was yesterday when I thought that today I could have had a problem. " So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today." [Matthew 6:34]

If I learned yesterday’s lesson; if I keep my attention in this present moment, where there are no problems, I have discovered the key for the solution to all of my imaginary problems.

If for any reason something were to happen that would require my attention, from that state of peace, not only the right answer will emerge for me to deal effectively with that situation, but also the support and necessary resources will show up as well. "Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?" [Matthew 6:26]

 Therefore, there is no need to worry.

Growing My Awareness of God Is The Only Thing Left To Do (by Nick Arandes)

A course in miracles brought me to a new way of living, which was completely opposite to the way I tried to live my whole life. It introduced me to a new kind of forgiveness, that little did I know began to heal all aspects of my life.

Knowing that however, and after experiencing healing, I still found myself caught up in the concerns, fear and pain of a regular living. I even found myself sharing A course in miracles on a global scale, speaking in countries, aside from the United States, countries such as Mexico, Canada, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia and all over Spain.

So the question is, if  I was sharing the theory of the Course, ¿what was I doing wrong? And in truth, it is not that I was doing anything wrong, it was that as the course reminds me, “A good teacher clarifies his own ideas and strengthens them by teaching them.” T-4.I.1:1

So having the theory, like everything is a good start. But the theory is not the end, it is only part of the means. It is the intellectual understanding of the process so that once it is accepted, it can then be practiced.

So truly I was actually sharing the concepts, the teachings of the course, being very conscious of course, that the teaching wasn’t for anyone but for me. As I began to see the resistance in my own mind, my judgments, my attack thoughts to my brothers, all I was experiencing were nothing but my own attack thoughts towards myself. Therefore forgiving “others”, or I should say, practicing forgiveness, was very difficult.

But then, after lots of traveling and watching the game that has been played in my own mind, but most importantly, consciously practicing what I was sharing, came a point where all I had to do now was to focus more on my own awareness of God within me.

I did not have to focus anymore in what the “world” was doing or saying, not even in trying forgive the world. I simply had to just choose the peace of God in each and every moment, and nothing else.

But it was not about choosing the peace of God in order to solve a conflict. It was choosing the peace of God as a way of recognizing that I did not now  anything. It was a complete trust, complete faith  that no matter how difficult the attack may seem, that no matter how much of a victim I may have felt, I had to trust that one, all I am seeing is a thought in the mind, and second, that "All things work together for good. There are no exceptions except in the ego's judgment." T-4.V.1:1-2

From that space, I noticed that forgiveness was not something I had to do, or even practice. It was simply the natural response to every experience, for I was now identified with the thought system of the Holy Spirit in my mind, which is peace.

Does that mean that I will no longer continue sharing A course in miracles in public, or if someone would like to have a private session that I would not accept it? The honest answer would be, I don’t know.

I simply trust that as I continue putting one foot in front of another, which is what I have been doing up until this point, the spontaneous right action will show up, which could be, to say yes to speaking in public or no. Which could be, to say yes to private sessions or no. Which could be, to write another book or no. Which could be…

¿See what I mean? Whatever I end up doing, as long as I am identifying with the peace of God, is what I will end up doing anyway. So whatever I do in the “world” is irrelevant now. What matters now is that I keep growing my awareness of God in my mind by simply choosing “…peace instead of this.” W-pI.34

What Is Love?

Love is not something we seek but an experience which will take place the moment the mind is free from judgment. When judgment is eradicated, love then is something that naturally extends to everything for that is the only thing that exist.

There are no barriers, no separation, just one mind contemplating itself through what appears to be different forms, only that this mind would not allow itself to be fooled by what it sense show nor the behavior of “other” forms. This is because it recognizes that there is only one and that what it extends is what it experiences. That is why it is said that to give and receive is one and the same. Therefore, an attack on a brother is an attack on oneself.

Having said that, we cannot deny that it is not easy to remember our true essence when we feel attacked, even when we logically know that the attack is our own guilt projected outward. Inclusively, the attack that we perceive took place as a result of a decision that was unconsciously made when choosing against the Truth in the mind.

Therefore, in order to bring the mind back to love is not through something that we do. That is something that naturally occurs when we let the Holy Spirit do the correction. And the way we allow for Him to do so, is through the recognition that we know absolutely nothing! “Yet the essential thing is learning that you do not know. " T-14.XI.1:1

How could we possibly let the Holy Spirit correct the error in our mind if our beliefs, opinions, ideas, “experiences”, in other words, everything we think we know is in the way?

That’s why A Course in Miracles reminds us; “The way is not hard, but it is very different.” T-11.III.4.1

Not knowing simply opens the mind so that it has access to what is already there. That is why what is going to decide how long or short our journey back home is going to take is our own decision to hang on to what we believe we know. And all of that is found in the memory, the memory that we invented. That’s why A Course in Miracles reminds us, “Memory, like perception, is a skill made up by you to take the place of what God gave in your creation. “ T-28.I.2:7

We invented it with the sole purpose of thinking that we can hide from Truth due to the fact that we are afraid of It. So if are afraid of Truth, obviously we are going to “protect” ourselves from it. That protecting from it is what everything we think we know is based on, because what we think we know is what shapes our identity.

And that identity sooner or later has to be given up, not because we will make that decision through an intrinsic desire but because this identity that we have made up sooner or later is going to lead us to pain and suffering.

That’s the reason why Jesus very subtly warns us through the following words from the Course, “If you want to be like me I will help you, knowing that we are alike. If you want to be different, I will wait until you change your mind.” T-8.IV.6:3-4 And rest assure that we are going to change our mind because, “Tolerance for pain may be high, but it is not without limit.” T-2.III.3.5

The way I realize more and more how simple having the experience of love is, is when I remember that the peace of God is the only thing I truly desire. However, I have to recognize that even as I say these words, at a much deeper level, there is an attachment to judge because I feel the pain of my believe in separation from God. Therefore, I need to be conscious of that while at the same time have patience and compassion with myself.

Based on my own practice, I find myself sharing the teaching of the Course and its forgiveness practice for that is the easiest and fastest way for me to remember what I am learning, which is why A Course in Miracles states: “A good teacher clarifies his own ideas and strengthens them by teaching them.” T-4.I.1:1 Honestly, I do not consider myself a “teacher” of the course but a student.

So what I have experienced is that when I choose the peace of God, very naturally I find myself feeling a love, a divine comprehension, which includes everything and everyone. However, when I am not at peace, very easily I find myself making judgments, and therefore, what I end up experiencing is what I am extending.

In conclusion, True love is very accessible to all in each moment, if we are willing to open our mind to the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and to trust in His process, in His Guidance, in His Wisdom.

That can only be experienced if we humbly and from the heart are willing to do what He suggest very clearly in A Course in Miracles’ workbook, lesson 189 paragraph 7, which states: " Simply do this: Be still, and lay aside all thoughts of what you are and what God is; all concepts you have learned about the world; all images you hold about yourself. Empty your mind of everything it thinks is either true or false, or good or bad, of every thought it judges worthy, and all the ideas of which it is ashamed. Hold onto nothing. Do not bring with you one thought the past has taught, nor one belief you ever learned before from anything. Forget this world, forget this course, and come with wholly empty hands unto your God." W-pI.189.7:1-5

For more information about Nick Arandes practice with A Course in Miracles, visit his website at: www.NickArandes.com

Intention Creates Tension

Listening to a meditation from Mooji, he mentioned that intention creates tension. I was inspired to share my thoughts about that reflection.

When I was on my "spiritual" path, I heard much about the power of intention, visualization, moving in the direction of your desires, etc. However, what I was experiencing at the time, although sometimes was disguised as excitement and passion, was nothing more than the absence of my inner peace.

Still, it was very difficult to choose peace, because in doing so it means I would have to put aside all effort, all fight, all struggle, even I would have to put aside my "responsibilities."

Notice I put the word responsibilities in quotes, because for me, responsibilities were things I had to do to survive, to keep this mask, this image, this idea that I have created about myself, even to keep the idea society expects of me.

And all this is based on the belief that I am a separate entity, separate from all, separate from its source, in a world where you have to survive to get ahead, in a world that rewards those who “win”, in a world that once again, thinks it is my source. That kept me in a never ending fight, looking for ways to make sure that I felt "safe." That does not mean I'm going to leave everything aside, and stop doing what I have to do in order to be able to function in this world. That all happens very naturally, when the mind is focused on the present, not intentions or personal agendas.

Continuing with the theme we are discussing, the apparent "security" disguised under the word "responsibility" was what was behind all my visualizations, affirmations, in other words, intentions. But even when I did all those practices, including, where it appeared as if I succeeded in some of them, life had a very interesting way to constantly surprise me when things changed before my eyes.

What I realized was that this "security" never existed. And even if some people feel they have "security" perhaps in the area of finances, the area of health, emotional or relationship, or any other area falters. As we can see, neither control nor money can buy health or emotional security or relationships. In short, there must be another way to live, and I discovered it when my life totally felt apart.

How interesting that when our life falls apart, one of two things happen, either we suffer and fight until we die, or simply we surrender to it. That surrendering, which is why the title of my book is What Happens When You Let God is the key to liberation.

It frees you emotionally, directing the mind to inner peace, and paradoxically, life begins to be perceived differently. The control is replaced by trust. Not trust in ourselves (our intentions), but trust in life, which knows more than we do.

Life itself taught me that if I live each present moment completely, the future would take care of itself. However, my "experience" taught me, over and over again, that when I wanted to take control of my life, even when at times I may have experienced an occasional pleasure, pain was hidden behind every pleasure.

But that awareness did not come to me overnight, although it could have had I let go of my resistance to life, had I let go of my intentions earlier. I had to consciously choose to practice inner peace above all things, even when I was experiencing with fear, even when I was experiencing uncertainty, even when I was experiencing pain, even when I was experiencing myself as suffering, even if the "world" was constantly telling me what I "should "do (which is nothing but my own fears proyected autward). Yet these moments of peace replaced those concerns, which for me was proof that it was the only sane thing I could do.

Within these moments of peace, although sometimes were only temporary, is where ideas arose from, regarding what had to be done at that moment in “time”, that paradoxically took me out of my own crossroads.

And the reason my intentions could not help me, it was because the purpose of intentions are to put my attention out in the "world", to fix mi seeming problems, in other words, to disconnect from my inner self so that I continue identified with the little "i" who believes to be here writing these words, living in a world where you I have to survive.

However, when my focus is inward, where there are no distractions of any kind, is where oneness, or unity is experienced. And from that space of unity spring forth not only ideas, but also the resources that could help carried out the ideas that came from that peaceful state on mind.

But beware, however! Ideas and resources are not for us to change something in our world (outside) so that we continue to put our attention on it, but to help us experience more and more peace while we are having the experience of being in this world. For some people the temporary illusiory resource that would be needed to continue to experience that peace could be a change in their financial situation, in others a change in their health, in others a change in their emotional state or relationship, in others a change in work / career, or a job opportunity, or as most of us, a combination of all.

The important thing here is to recognize that these changes do not come through "intentions" or personal requests, but occur very naturally to help us continue to choose inner peace without the distractions that these changes in experiences could have caused us.

That’s why it could be said that Jesus did not heal everybody who came to him for just healing, although he could have, but he simly facilitated healing only to those who really had faith in his teachings, because what they really wanted was to live the message of Christ. Of coures I am talking about the historical Jesus here, but the message is still the same.

So if your relationship with your Self is what you really want (if are going to have intentions, that would be the only sane one to have), then, put aside all your intentions, and focus daily in choosing inner peace as your practice. That’s why it is said that "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all else will be added unto you." [Matthew 6:33]

Intention creates tension and therefore keeps you away from the kingdom. Peace not only brings you closer to the Kingdom, but reminds you that you are the Kingdom, as A Course in Miracles reminds us, Instead of "’Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven’ say, ‘Will ye first the Kingdom of Heaven,’ and you have said, ‘I know what I am and I accept my own inheritance.’" T-3.VI.11:8

For more information about Nick Arandes’ work, visit his website: www.NickArandes.com

The Present Moment

In this moment is where true happiness exist because the mind is not distracted by thoughts of guilt from the past or worry about the future.

In this present moment is where decisions are made that could have the appearance of plans for the future, however, a mind that is in the present only do what it feels inclined to do in the present. And each present moment becomes like a brick that end up building the landscape of the “future.” Only that when that landscape is built, is the landscape we see in the present moment, because it could not be in any other moment.

During my life I have been in situations where I did not know what was going to happen. Alghough I did not have a place to call home, I always had places to stay. Although I had no money to eat, the food I needed always showed up. Although I did not know where the funds may appear to cover any expenses that had relevance in my life, always showed up what was needed in the form of financial resources, either through an opportunity for work, or through any other unexpected source.

Also decisions were made to help lighten the weight I was carrying at those moments, which could have been judged as failures. For example, when I declared bankruptcy, it was a huge liberation. Alghough critiziced by some, it was the perfect decision for me at that time. And paradoxically, it completely change my financial situation. Opportunities to give talks opened up, jobs appeared, etc. And yes, if I had not been able to make the decision to file bankruptcy, the most appropriate decision would have been made at that present moment.

All of this took place when I did not allow the mind to wonder beyond each present moment. That does not mean I never worry or experienced any guilt, or that I still do not experiment episodes of guilt and worry, but it has everything to do with making the decision to at least accept each situation as it is, so that the mind can be brought once again to the present moment.

Perhaps I did what I did because I did not want to experience worry had I allowed the mind to wonder in the future, or the guilt had I allowed the mind to look into the past . However, in retrospect I realize I was just learning to trust each present moment, which were the bricks that have become the landscape that I am now experiencing.

This landscape is neither good nor bad, it is simply the accumulation of all the bricks that in each present moment led me to. Those decisions can be mistaken for "future plans." But really, I never planned anything. Simply rely on what I was inspired to do at each present moment, in every brick in which I put my focus on no matter what my circumstances dictated.

There was much concern and fear around every brick, but I always put my attention once again on the brick (present moment), and therefore trust that every decision made at that time was what led to my present experience.

Writing a book was a brick while simultaneously having no job or source of income was the concern around the brick which I could have put all my focus on if I wanted to.

Answering questions and posting articles and notes on Facebook (which opened a door to a world that has led me to speak in many countries, meet thousands of loving people, make a great living at it, and so much more…) was a brick while at the same time I was living at a friend's house not knowing what to do with my life, which was the concern around the brick I could have put all my focus on if I wanted to.

Trusting that everything works together for good was a brick while at the same time feeling the discomfort of the body when I was getting sick or when I did not know what I felt was the concern around the brick which I could have put all my focus on if I wanted to.

In other words, choosing the peace of God in each moment the best way I could, was a brick while focusing on people’s opinion of what I “should” do with my life, or how to live it, or feeling bad for not having money, or not having a job, or all the fear about the future or the guild from the past, or whatever the case may be, was the space around the brick which would not have allowed me to trust in the decisions that I had to make in each present moment. That's What Happens When You Let God!

Life is a constant process of acceptance and trust. Acceptance eliminate suffering and fear. Trust helps us remember that we are fully supported and protected. From that space is easier to experience each present moment as it is, where only the peace of God is experienced.

With a peaceful mind, whatever decisions we make will be the most appropriate for each present moment, without worries or uncertainty of a "future", for the "future" is just another present moment. And the "future" is not in our hands.

Nick Arandes is the author of What Happens When You Let God! For more information, visit his website at: www.NickArandes.com