Me? Gentle? Well, I … uhhh….
I noticed this morning, for the first time in memory, that I was feeling … gentle. Me? The last angry man, the troll under the bridge? Gentle?
Given my male upbringing, “gentle” is not something I’ve had much experience or interest in. I’m supposed to be felling trees, crossing rivers, and protecting women. I’m anything but gentle. (1)
But I feel gentle. This is a big change!
Noticing feeling gentle was a realization. Today, when I’m in the midst of at least a change, I’d like to look at change, transformation, and realization and how they occur.
***
Perhaps I should begin by defining the three.
In my view, loosely following Werner Erhard’s lead, change refers to a superficial alteration in thought and conduct, which occurs while maintaining existing attitudes overall and triggered patterns of behavior.
Transformation is a deeper alteration in thought and conduct, reflecting a realization, vision, or some other deep and spiritual experience, strong enough to alter our existing attitudes and patterns of behavior.
Realization itself is a higher-dimensional seeing brought on by the elevation provided by bliss, love, peace, or another divine quality (or state of consciousness), with the added factor that at the time of elevation we had an idea or problem in mind.
“Eureka!” The solution seen in an elevated moment, when we’re back in everyday consciousness, becomes characterized as a “realization.”
If we have no thought in our minds at the time of elevation, then bliss simply gives us a memorable experience, without a realization. When we come down, we beam a lot.
Usually transformation occurs as a result of a realization. No realization and the best we might hope for is change.
Of course there are major and minor realizations. We’re realizing all the time but usually on matters of minor significance, which we don’t make note of.
If I were to state what I’ve said here as a principle, I’d say that bliss elevates us and gives us either a realization and an experience or an experience without a realization, depending on what’s in our minds at the time.
I’d like to continue this exploration of change, transformation, and realization.
Footnotes
(1) And then, there being no accidents, but after writing this article, I read Michael’s words:
AAM: “What you have discovered [at Xenia] underneath that [worry about arrogance] is the yearning, of innocence, of the sweetness and, yes, the purity that the Mother has filled you with, with her tsunami. And inside the purity is clarity, is love and so you have reached a deeper level, a higher level, a broader level of understanding. [This resonates with me.]
And it is not merely an intellectual understanding. It is heart wisdom. And, in that, it allows you to proceed in a gentler way, not in a way where you feel you have your finger in the dam or you are pushing the river the other way.
So you are in the early stages of truly, not falling in love, but truly being not only in love but Being Love. So often you are looking for magical formulas for ascension, for heart opening. You may call it all these things but it is an awareness, a deeper knowing of who you are. [My emphasis.] (“Archangel Michael Explains What Happened at Xenia,” September 22, 2018, at http://goldenageofgaia.com/2018/09/22/archangel-michael-explains-what-happened-at-xenia/.)